365
by Thn0715
Summary: A collection of daily moments in the lives of the BAU. Will include all team members, mostly Hotch and Rossi. Also will include various pairings and various genres. Rated T for possible future content. Enjoy! Day 227: Team
1. Day 1: A New Year's Celebration

**AN: Hello everyone, and welcome to my new project! I'm calling it "365" because I've made myself a New Year's Resolution to write something everyday. Whether it's ten words or 1000 words. This is my way of getting back into the writing game. Hopefully, if I keep to my resolution, this will be updated every day. In most instances, the chapters will not connect to each other. This is more a collection of various moments rather than a continuous story. I hope you like what you see! Let me know what you think!**

**Thanks for reading!  
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**365: Day 1  
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**Characters: Team  
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**Rating: K  
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**A New Year's Celebration**

The great room of David Rossi's home looked like a ballroom gala fit for kings. Banners and streamers adorned the walls and balloons were tied to the backs of chairs. Two balloons had made their way to the wrists of two little boys who, on this special occasion, were allowed to be up way past their bedtimes. Champagne flutes were filled with only the best. Gold and silver confetti shimmered on the table. And his guests were adorned in "Happy New Year" top hats and various forms of "2013" eyeglasses.

There was a special group of people gathered in front of the television to watch the famous New York City ball drop. This special group that he'd come to consider family. They had been through so much together. So many joys and triumphs. So many disappointments and tragedies. And still, they all stood tall, able to enjoy something as simple as a New Year's Eve celebration.

He looked around the room in admiration…

Aaron stood with his arm around the waist of the woman who had thawed out his heart, his young son bouncing with excitement in front of them. His best friend had finally started to live again. It was such a beautiful sight to see.

JJ stood with Will, both of them laughing at the silliness of their blond haired boy as he tried to wear everyone's top hats all at once. Their wedding in his backyard brought back fond memories. After everything they had been through the previous day, he was more than happy to give them their dream wedding.

Garcia and Kevin sat together on the love seat, looking a bit like shy teenagers. They were finally working their way back to each other. Slowly but surely they were remembering all the reasons they fell in love in the first place. It was inspiring to watch them rejuvenate their romance.

Alex Blake and her husband sat together on the couch, enjoying this rare moment when they were actually together for a holiday. And now they had a new group of friends with whom to share these moments. It had taken some time, but Blake was beginning to feel like part of this wacky eclectic family.

Reid and Morgan, still the most awkward of best friends, sat on the floor, teasing and joking with each other. Morgan's playfulness was in full effect, much to Reid's chagrin. The magician entertained the masses as the jock took turns bench-pressing Henry and Jack.

The surprise phone call from Emily made the evening perfect. London's Big Ben struck Midnight nearly five hours ago and she'd called to share the moment with them. The entire family had been together, so to speak.

The exuberant shouting of the countdown coming from his guests brought him out of his thoughts…

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy New Year!"

Joyous cheering filled the room as the ball dropped in Times Square and fireworks filled the air. They blew on blowout horns and squawkers. Handfuls of confetti flew through the air. There was hugging and kissing and jubilation as the start of another new year greeted the east coast.

January 1, 2013.

As Dave took in the excitement of his friends, he smiled. Through all the ups and downs, all the life and death situations, they had all made it. They were all here… Happy. Healthy. Alive.

They all took their glasses, clinked them together, and toasted each other.

"Here's to one more year."

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_01/01/2013_


	2. Day 2: Long Distance Relationships

**A/N: I made it two days in a row! Yay! Now if I can keep this up 363 more days...  
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**Thank you for the reviews and PM's. You make a girl smile!  
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**365: Day 2  
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**Characters: Hotch, Rossi  
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**Rating: K  
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******Long Distance Relationships**

"So how are things with Beth?" Dave asked as he made himself comfortable in the visitor's chair in Hotch's office.

"They're good," Aaron closed the file he was working on and sat down his pen. "The long distance thing isn't as bad as we were expecting."

"Really?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, considering how much time I was out of town, it always felt a little like a long distance relationship, so the adjustment hasn't been as hard."

"True, but still, it's not like you can drive to her apartment if you get home early now."

"Yeah I know. But she's still just a phone call away. The good thing is it's allowing us to not rush into things, and makes the times we do get to see each other really special."

"Allowing 'us', or allowing you?" Dave quirked his eyebrow. Aaron shrugged.

"She knows why I need to take this slowly. We've talked a lot about it. She understands my situation, especially where Jack is concerned. She's been very patient with me. I'm grateful for that. A lot of women wouldn't be."

"That's good. She seems like a smart woman."

"That she is. And funny. She makes me laugh every day. It's been a long time since I laughed this much." His face lit up as he spoke of her. Dave chuckled.

"It does my heart good to see you happy, Aaron."

"I am happy. Finally. It feels good."

"Well you of all people deserve it." Dave smiled and got up from his seat.

"Dave."

"Yeah?" he turned, hands in his pockets.

"I don't know if I've said it at any point over the last five years, but it's been so good having you back."

"I don't think I've ever made a better decision than coming back here."

"That took guts coming back into this madhouse."

"Maybe I'm getting senile in my old age. A glutton for punishment, maybe?"

"Maybe," Aaron laughed. Dave once again headed for the door.

"And Dave?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

Dave looked at him, momentarily confused. "For what?"

"A lot of things. Too many to mention. Just... thanks."

"Always," he nodded and left.

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_01/02/2013_


	3. Day 3: Friends Are Exhausting

**A/N: Well, surprise surprise! I'm three for three! I'm going to take this as a good sign. Hope you like this one! Let me know what you think...**

**To my favorite Rock Star... thanks for all the encouragement.  
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**365: Day 3**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia, Spencer Reid**

**Rated K**

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**Friends Are Exhausting**

"Where. Is. He?!"

Derek Morgan cringed and Spencer Reid chuckled as the near-hysterical voice of Penelope Garcia echoed through the buzzing emergency room. They could hear Hotch trying to calm her down by explaining that Morgan was perfectly fine and the trip to the ER was precautionary, but she was having none of it. Reid thoroughly enjoyed watching Morgan squirm.

"You are in so much trouble," Reid snickered.

"Oh come off it, pretty boy," Morgan shook his head. Just then, the fluorescent pink blur that was Penelope Garcia blew into his curtained off area.

"Derek! Morgan!" she yelled, accentuating each word.

"Baby Girl, let me explain…" he began before a raise of her hand cut him off.

"I'm just going to…" Reid awkwardly pointed to the opening in the curtain. "Um… yeah. Good luck Derek," he said as he made a hasty exit, leaving Morgan alone to face the wrath of the angry tech goddess.

"The year is only three days old, and you're already in the ER!" she flailed her arms wildly as she fussed. "How is that in any way a good sign? You have to stop doing these things to me! Do you have any idea how super-freaked out I get when they tell me news like this? Not even pictures of baby pandas could make me feel better! And baby pandas make everything better!"

"Baby girl…" he kept trying to cut her off. "Would you stop… Let me explain… Penelope…," but she kept ranting about Karma and not being able to find her happy place when she was so worried about the condition of her BFF. Finally she stepped close enough that he could reach her. He grabbed her arm to pull her closer and put his hand over her mouth. "Baby girl, stop and breathe."

He removed his hand from her mouth, took her hand and placed it on his chest. "I'm perfectly fine. The bullet hit the vest. No holes in me. No blood. I'm only here because we're required to get checked out if we're ever hit, even if it's in the vest." He looked her square in the eye. "I'm okay."

She nodded, mostly to reassure herself. "You're okay."

"I'm okay."

"Okay." She patted his chest gently. Then punched his arm hard.

"Ow!"

"Stop doing this to me! I swear being your best friend is exhausting!"

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "I know it is, baby girl. But you love me anyway."

"Yeah, I do."

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_01/03/2013_


	4. Day 4: Bad Days

**A/N: Hi again! Four for four! I'm pumped I've kept this up! *happy dance* I hope you all are liking these little moments in time. Let me know what you think of this one. Thank you to those of you who have reviewed so far. They are greatly appreciated!**

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**365: Day 4**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss**

**Rated: K**

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**Bad Days**

2:30 a.m. and he still couldn't sleep. They had arrived home over 12 hours ago. He'd done the necessary paperwork, had dinner with his team, put his son to bed, all without feeling the after-effects of a difficult case. But once all was quiet and he was alone with only his thoughts as company, the demons returned. Usually cases didn't stick with him like this. But sometimes those intricate little details of the sick and twisted, maybe even demented, killers were enough to keep even Aaron Hotchner awake at night.

He needed to talk, but he didn't want to bother his team. They not only needed, but deserved an uninterrupted good night's sleep. He thought about calling Beth, but he didn't want to scare her. As he'd often heard and said, "nothing good ever comes from a call in the middle of the night."

But there was one person he could call. And she was guaranteed to be awake. After all, it was morning in London. So he picked up the phone and dialed. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hotch?"

"Hi Emily."

"It's two-something in the morning over there. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, fine. I just..." he hesitated momentarily. "You remember last year when I made you promise to come to me if you were having a bad day?"

"Of course I do."

He got quiet but she could hear him sigh. She knew something was eating at him, and she also knew how uncomfortable he was with letting people in. _Still_, she thought, _he called for a reason, right_?

"Hotch?" she gently prodded. She would almost swear that when he spoke his voice cracked.

"I'm having a bad day..."

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_01/04/2013_


	5. Day 5: Second Chances

**A/N: FIVE FOR FIVE! *extreme happy dance* I'm getting more and more excited that my muse seems to finally be coming back to me! I hope you all are enjoying these moments. Thank you to those of you who have reviewed the previous chapters. I love hearing what you think, what you like or dislike, anything. Without further ado, here's day five!**

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**365: Day 5**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Erin Strauss**

**Rated: K**

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**Second Chances**

Erin Strauss signed off on the last of today's case files preparing to leave for the evening when the unexpected knock at her office door startled her. She looked up to see Aaron Hotchner standing in her doorway. She waved him in.

"You got a second?"

"Sure. What can I do for you, Aaron?"

He sat in the visitor's chair in front of her desk. "We've all been so busy lately I haven't had a chance to ask how you're doing."

"I'm fine," she looked at him with confusion. "What brought that on?"

"It's been a little over a year."

"Ah," she understood. It had been a year and one month (well, two days shy of one month) since Hotchner and Morgan had confronted her about her problem with alcohol. That had been one of the most terrifying moments of her adult life. The repercussions could have been catastrophic to her career, a career she's put blood, sweat, and tears into building. A more ambitious, self-serving individual would have used her situation to crush her career and catapult their own. But neither Hotchner nor Morgan were that individual. They kept her situation private. They helped her into a rehab facility, and after her stay they helped her re-establish her identity without the use of alcohol. She had been eternally grateful for their thoughtfulness and discretion. Whether they realized it or not, they had not only changed her life - they'd saved her life.

"Chief Strauss?"

His concerned voice brought her from her thoughts. She offered him a rare smile.

"I'm doing much better than I thought I would be. I thanked Agent Morgan for his help but I don't think I ever thanked you."

He shook his head. "You don't have to thank me."

"I should. I don't know that he would have come to me on his own. And I needed someone to push me. I wasn't going to do this on my own. I didn't think I needed to, but you were both right. My actions compromised that case. And had the situation become dangerous, I could have put all your lives at risk. Those are not the things you think about when you are drinking. But they come crashing down on you once you're sober. I'm sorry, Aaron. I should have apologized to you and your team much sooner."

"We're a team, Chief Strauss," he looked her in the eye and stated matter-of-factly. "We take care of each other, the good and the bad. That includes you."

She smiled at that. It was hard to believe that only five short years ago she had tried to take his job from him. Truth was back then she was afraid of him. But she'd learned after years of watching him and his team that he belonged right where he was. There was a strong trust and comraderie between Hotchner and his team that could not be matched by any other group within the BAU.

"Thank you, Aaron."

He nodded and rose from his seat. He was halfway to the door before he turned back. "You know if you ever need to, you can come to me. My door is always open."

"As is mine," she smiled.

He nodded. "Goodnight, Chief Strauss."

As he exited her office, she looked around and thought about just how lucky she was to still be in her position. She looked at the accolades that decorated her walls, the photos of her children on her bookshelf, the weight of how much she could have lost bared down on her momentarily. Then she looked at another picture, one she kept safely in her top drawer. It was a picture of her with her team the night of JJ's wedding, and Hotch's words echoed in her ears. '_We take care of each other. That includes you_.'

Finally, she belonged.

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_01/05/2013_


	6. Day 6: Game Day

**A/N: Hi again! We know from season one that JJ is a big Washington Redskins fan. Today in the United States, the Redskins were in a playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. What better way to have some fun with JJ than with the 'Skins! All the game details in this story are straight from today's game, as I wrote this while watching. Hope you enjoy. There are a LOT of football terms in this one, so if you have any questions feel free to ask. I'll do my best to explain.  
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**Thanks once again to those who left reviews! And to those guest reviewers who I couldn't leave a personal response, thanks to you as well!  
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**365: Day 6**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Aaron Hotchner, Team**

**Rating: K**

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**Game Day**

"Hey guys, come on, game is starting!"

Everyone knew how Jennifer Jareau felt about her beloved Washington Redskins. Passionate would be an understatement. Fanatical may be closer to accurate. But today was special. The 'Skins were in the playoffs. A Wild Card game against the spunky, upstart Seattle Seahawks was the reason the team was gathered at the Jareau/LaMontagne home this cool Sunday afternoon.

All the team was present, including Reid, who still didn't fully grasp why people were so passionate about a sports team to which they had no personal ties, or why they so enjoyed watching grown men smash heads with each other over a ball.

JJ sported the #26 jersey of one of her old favorites; retired player Clinton Portis as Henry wore his #10 jerseys, showing his love for his favorite player, quarterback Robert Griffin III, or RG3. Will wore a Redskins t-shirt. The others were in Redskins gear of some kind: t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats - JJ even found an old hat for Reid. Everyone that is, except for Hotch, the only one in Seahawks blue/green. After spending the early years of his FBI career in Seattle, he'd developed a love and loyalty to the Seahawks. He was a good sport as he was teased mercilessly upon his arrival by everyone including Henry. JJ almost didn't let him in the house when he'd arrived in his Seahawks t-shirt and hat! "Well, at least your son is smarter than you," she'd quipped, noticing the boy's brand new burgundy hat with the gold bill and Indian head logo.

They'd enjoyed watching the Baltimore Ravens cruise to victory against the Indianapolis Colts in what they called their "warm up game" while munching on typical tailgate food and snacks. Burgers, hot dogs, hot wings, chips and salsa, cold beer and sodas, and a fun filled afternoon made for some very happy BAU agents.

As the sounds of the opening kickoff were heard through the house, they all made their way into the den, or JJ's football room as Will called it, in front of the big screen television as the burgundy and gold clad Washington Redskins offense took the field. This promised to be a very exciting game as two rookie quarterbacks tried to lead their teams to victory in the biggest game of their young careers. Despite being the home team, and much to JJ's chagrin, the Redskins were the underdogs.

Watching JJ get excited and yelling at the TV during the first possession, then jumping clear off the couch in celebration as they scored the game's first touchdown, told her fellow agents that they were in for quite an entertaining afternoon. The second touchdown of the first quarter once again brought JJ and her "mini-me" to their feet in elation while the others cheered and clapped, and Hotch hung his head as his Seahawks found themselves down 14-0.

The second quarter was mostly quiet aside from an early Seahawks field goal until the 4:30 mark when Seahawks QB Russell Wilson connected with fullback Michael Robinson for a Seahawks touchdown. Hotch cheered and clapped from his seat, but was quickly overpowered by the loud chorus of boos from everyone else in the house, including Jack.

"You people have turned my own son against me!" he chided. Everyone laughed as Henry and Jack shared a high five.

"Sorry dad. Redskins rule, Seahawks drool!"

Hotch's eyebrows shot up as a hysterically laughing Morgan grabbed Jack and pulled him into his lap. Garcia covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud and Rossi's eyebrows shot up about as high as Hotch's had. JJ and Will, on the other hand, were laughing as hard as Morgan as Reid looked back and forth from Jack to Hotch in wide-eyed wonder.

"You," he pointed at his son, "have spent way too much time with your Uncle Derek."

"Smart boy," Morgan grinned big.

About a minute later, Hotch was cheering again as the Seahawks intercepted a huge RG3 pass that likely would have resulted in a Washington touchdown had the right man caught it.

"Oh come on!" JJ yelled, hoping the 'Skins would hear her through the TV. "Wake up guys! Let's go!"

The Seahawks managed to claw their way back into the fight and by halftime the score was 14-13.

"What a good game," Rossi commented as everyone got up to refill drinks.

"Yeah," Morgan replied. "These two came to fight. They sure don't look like two teams with rookie quarterbacks."

"Who wants cake?" JJ called from the kitchen.

"Ooh! Cake!" Henry and Jack jumped at the promise of sugar. "Yeah! Cake!" Reid and Garcia exclaimed as they jumped up and followed. The others weren't far behind.

Will helped JJ pass around pieces of red velvet cake decorated with a big Redskins logo in the middle. JJ pointed her knife at Hotch. "You want a piece?"

"Um… no thanks." He took a step back. "I'm not going anywhere near you while you're holding that knife."

"Wise decision, Seahawks-boy," she mock glared at him.

Hotch chuckled and hung his head in defeat.

"Give me that," Will laughed as he took the knife from JJ and cut Hotch a piece of cake.

"So how do you get away with being a Saints fan in this house?" Hotch asked the New Orleans native.

"Simple," he answered. "We watch football in two different rooms."

"Smart man."

"Got that right." They both laughed and clinked forks.

They all enjoyed dessert and more laughing and teasing, and soon the game was back on. Hotch was on the verge of cheering another Seahawks touchdown when Marshawn Lynch fumbled the ball on the two-yard line and the Redskins recovered.

"No!" he yelled, covering his head with his hands while JJ jumped up and threw her arms in the air with a resounding "Yes!" Henry and Jack jumped up and down cheering on the strong play of the Redskins defense as the offense took over. More than anything, the two boys were enjoying spending time with the "big kids" as they liked to call their aunts and uncles. Unfortunately for the 'Skins, they weren't able to capitalize on the turnover and had to punt the ball away.

The third quarter was filled with close calls and a lot of yay's and no's and woo's and argh's, and a little more flailing on JJ's part, but ultimately it proved uneventful and the score remained the same entering the fourth. To say JJ was bouncing anxiously was another understatement. When she sat, her knees bounced. When she stood, she paced. Especially when the Seahawks began moving the ball strongly into Redskins territory. "Get him! Stop him!" she shouted.

And much to her dismay, with 7:00 left in the fourth quarter, a great scramble by the quarterback, and a great run by the running back produced another Seahawks touchdown. "No, no, no!" she flailed. Hotch threw his arms into the air, but thought it wise for his physical safety to remain silent. They attempted a two-point conversion and were successful, bringing the score to 21-14 Seahawks.

A tense moment engulfed the household when, trying to gather a low snap from his center, Griffin's knee buckled and he crumpled, unable to get up. Poor Henry looked on the verge of tears seeing his favorite player on the ground. JJ gathered him up to console him. "He's going to be okay, bud. See? He's getting up," as trainers helped him to his feet and he limped off the field under his own power.

Hotch, seeing Jack not fairing much better, motioned him over. "Remember what Uncle Dave and I tell you when you play soccer? It's always possible that when you play, you're going to get hurt. But what do you do when you get hurt?"

"You get better and get back on the field."

"That's right. You can't let an injury stop you from playing a sport you love, right?"

"Right."

"So even if he can't play the rest of this game, he'll get better so he can play again later."

JJ smiled. "That's right. Same goes for you, buddy," she said to Henry. "You know how much you like to play soccer too. Remember during the fall when you were playing and fell and scraped up your knee?"

"Yeah," he sniffled.

"What did you do?"

"I got better and played the next game."

"That's right. And see," she pointed to the TV screen, "even though he's injured, he's still on the sidelines supporting his team. You know what that's called?"

"What?"

"That's called sportsmanship and being a good teammate. You always support your team, even if you can't play."

The team in the room all looked around at each other. Those words described every team, not just sports teams. They defined their team. Every time one of them was injured, the others were there to ensure they would be okay. They picked up extra workloads so their partners wouldn't be too far behind on work. They took care of each other. They all saw the recognition in each other's eyes at how deeply those words touched them all.

In the process of reassuring the boys that the injured player would indeed be okay, they missed the field goal that extended the Seahawks lead by another three points. And with that, it was obvious that the Seahawks would win the game, 24-14.

As the clock wound down on the Washington season, JJ eyed "Seahawk-Boy" closely. Hotch could feel her stare as he nervously looked her way. Feeling immediate danger, he got up and slowly moved away, never taking his eyes off her. "JJ, play nice," he uttered as he backed away. She crouched down between the two little boys, eyes never leaving her prey, and mischievously grinned.

"Get him," she urged them, and before Hotch knew it, two little boys were running at him. He ran while the two boys chased him around the house and eventually they tackled him in the living room floor. He let out an "ack!" as the two boys landed on his chest. Henry grabbed his hat and ran to deliver it to his mother while Jack sat on top of his father.

"Hey," he looked at his son, "you're supposed to be on my side!"

"Sorry, Dad. You're on your own."

"JJ! What are you doing to my hat?" he called out from the floor.

"Oh, nothing," she said in a sing-song voice that made him more nervous than he thought possible. He looked to the others for help, but they were too busy laughing at the fact that he was pinned by a seven-year-old.

Will, knowing the pain of being a fan of another team in her house, tried to come to his rescue. "Honey, what about that whole 'sportsmanship' speech you just gave our son?"

"You," she pointed at her husband, "hush."

A few minutes later Henry ran back into the room with Hotch's hat and put it back on his head inside out. The others cackled at what JJ had done to it. When Jack finally let him up, he took the hat off and looked. She's taken a black marker, turned his hat inside out, and drawn a Redskins logo with a #1 in the middle. Hotch couldn't help but laugh. He learned his lesson. Never mess with Jennifer Jareau when it comes to her beloved Washington Redskins. Especially not in her house. She will make you pay for it.

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_01/06/2013_


	7. Day 7: Breaking Through

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this little project! Big hugs to you all!**

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**365: Day 7**

**Characters: David Rossi, Alex Blake, mentions of Hotch/Jack/Haley**

**Rated: T**

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**Breaking Through**

Blake knocked on Rossi's door and waited for a response before entering.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," he motioned for her to sit. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm worried about Hotch." She sat stiffly in the usually comfortable visitor's chair, unsure if it was really her place to bring up her concerns. She was, after all, still fairly new to this team.

Rossi looked at her curiously, so she elaborated. "I know I haven't been on this team very long, and I know he's a quiet, private guy, but he just seems too quiet lately. He just seems... off. And if I can pick up on it, I know the others can."

"They can and have," he nodded. "But they've known him longer. They know that he gets this way this time of year and why."

He paused, the sadness for his friend reflecting in his eyes and the weary set of his shoulders. "It's been a little over three years since Haley died. This year, her death anniversary was only three days after Thanksgiving. It just... It takes a lot out of him, trying to do everything he can for Jack so he doesn't dwell on not having his mom at Christmastime. Jack may be young, but he realizes what time of year it is. And the older he gets, the more questions he asks. The holidays are always hard, but this year was harder than most."

She nodded sympathetically. "I can understand that. So how do we help him?"

"One thing to understand about Aaron Hotchner is when to push and when to let him be. With this, we treat him the same way we always do and let him get back into his routine. If we dwell on it, he'll dwell on it. Believe me, none of us want him to dwell on it."

"I can't even imagine what that day must have been like. For any of you." Her voice fell quiet as she thought of the sheer agony they had all experienced on that horrid afternoon. She had only been one of the team for a few months, but she'd seen enough to know that they were a family, and that sort of heartache was borne by all of them.

"If it were up to me, I'd resurrect the bastard so I could kill him myself." The anger and helplessness from that day were visible in the way Rossi briefly closed his eyes and shook his head, still trying to erase those painful memories after three years.

"David." Her voice caught his attention. "You'll let me know if there's anything I can do to help? For him or for you?"

"I appreciate that, Alex," he offered a sad smile as he watched Hotch walk by his office, head down in a file. "We'll break through. We'll be okay."

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_01/07/2013_


	8. Day 8: Practice Makes Perfect

**A/N: Hi gang! Hope everyone's having a good day. Many of my reviewers seemed to enjoy seeing Hotch and JJ's competitive natures in "Game Day", so I decided to play with JJ's competitiveness a little more. Hope you enjoy!**

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**365: Day 8**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Spencer Reid, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rated: K+**

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**Practice Makes Perfect**

Spencer Reid had spent more time in the shooting gallery since the Ian Doyle incident. He'd gotten better, too. He wasn't going to break any records by any stretch of the imagination, but he was no slouch anymore either. He was more confident in his abilities, but still nervous at the thought of having to re-qualify every year to be allowed to carry his weapon. He wasn't the only one. Every agent in the Bureau had to re-qualify every year. Today he was surprised to see Jennifer Jareau already blasting away at the paper targets. He waited for her to empty her clip before approaching.

"Hey JJ."

"Hey Spence. Getting ready for qualifications?"

"Yeah. I could use some more practice," he shrugged. "What are you doing here? You certainly don't need the practice."

"I like to stay sharp."

"You already hold the women's record for accuracy, JJ. Everyone knows you're one of the best shots in the Bureau," he said as shots from the other end of the gallery rang out as many other agents were making their own preparations for their yearly firearms qualifications.

"I'm proud of that fact, but I want the overall record. I've gotten close a few times."

His eyes went wide. "You want Hotch's record?"

"Yes."

"That's a pretty hefty goal, JJ." He looked intimidated. She, on the other hand, looked determined. She hit the switch to bring her target back to her. She took it down and studied it, calculating the points from her shots.

"Damn," she sighed.

"Geez, JJ. That's impressive."

"It's close, but not quite."

The shots from the other end of the gallery ended and the agent stepped out from the cubicle. He carried his target with him as he made his way towards them.

"Hey Hotch," Reid squeaked, hoping he hadn't heard their conversation.

"Hey. You guys ready for tomorrow?"

"Of course," JJ answered as Reid nodded nervously.

"Good. We have a briefing in 30 minutes."

"We'll be there."

He started to leave when JJ got his attention.

"Hey Hotch, let me see it." She held her hand out and he gave her his target. She and Reid both stared at it in disbelief.

"How many shots did you fire?"

"I emptied the clip." And yet there was only one hole in the target. Every shot precise. Dead center.

"Practice makes perfect. See you upstairs."

As he left, JJ hung a fresh target and moved it into position. "Practice makes perfect," she uttered, securing the clip in her glock and taking aim. Reid wisely moved away.

* * *

_01/08/2013_


	9. Day 9: Hard Truths

**A/N: Hey peeps! I'm still so excited I've been able to keep this up for nine days straight! It feels good to be writing again. And for that reason, it's time to get back to what I love to write most... angst! Dark and heavily emotional. I hope you like it, though ****_like_**** is probably not the right choice of words for this one. Anyway, here you go! **

* * *

**365: Day 9**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T (language)**

* * *

**Hard Truths**

David Rossi lay awake in bed listening to the tossing and turning of his best friend in the next bed in their shared hotel room. The annoyed sighs and the constant movement told him that Aaron Hotchner was once again fighting a losing battle with exhaustion as the missing pieces of their profile taunted him, rendering him unable to sleep. It was not unusual for Hotch to have trouble sleeping on cases, especially with the long excruciating hours and the overdose of caffeine they all lived on. Cases like this, however, made it damn near impossible. If their Unsub stuck to his routine, which they were certain he would, they had 24 hours to catch him before another child died. And they all feared that they didn't have enough information to stop this demented monster before it was too late.

The frustrated whispered, "fuck!" caught Rossi's attention as Hotch threw the covers off violently, got up and grabbed his go bag, and went into the restroom. He came out moments later dressed in sweatpants and a sweatshirt and sneakers.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Hotch turned, momentarily startled. "Sorry if I woke you. Go back to sleep."

Instead, Rossi turned on the bedside lamp. "Not likely right now. What are you doing?"

"I need to clear my head. I'm going for a run."

"At one o'clock in the morning? You really think that's a good idea in this neighborhood?"

"I'm going down to the exercise room and getting on a treadmill, Dave." Hotch rolled his eyes, his exhaustion making him short-tempered. "I'm well aware of where we are."

Rossi cocked his eyebrow, causing Hotch to realize how he sounded. He shook his head. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Rossi sighed. "I just wish you would talk to me before it gets this bad."

Hotch huffed. "All we've been doing is talking for four days. I don't want to talk about this case anymore. I want to solve it." He pulled a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and picked up his gun, credentials, and room key from the nightstand. "I'll be back in a little while. Go back to sleep."

As Hotch exited the room, Rossi picked up his book and put on his glasses. He wasn't going back to sleep until he was sure Hotch was back in the room and okay.

It was over an hour later when Hotch finally returned. He was dripping with sweat. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his t-shirt stuck to his frame. The sweatshirt he began the night in was a soggy mess in his hand. He was breathing heavy and his face was bright red, beads of sweat clung to the edges of his five o'clock shadow.

Rossi watched as Hotch slumped into the nearby chair. He knew Hotch would talk in his own time, so he waited patiently as Hotch's breathing slowly returned to normal. A few moments passed before Rossi began to hear slight hitches in his breathing, a quick sniffle here and there. Hotch shook his head and dropped it into his hands, his fingers running through the sides of his hair.

"We're going to lose another one," he uttered, and Dave could only look on as his friend silently began to cry.

The hard truth of the matter was that Hotch was right. They simply did not have enough information in their profile to catch this twisted killer within the next 24 hours. As that painful reality set in, Rossi moved to the edge of the bed in front of the chair and placed a comforting hand on Hotch's shoulder.

"Unfortunately, you're probably right," he spoke softly. "But that child's life will not be in vain. None of their lives will be. Because we are going to find this son of a bitch." Dave's voice took on a hard edge, his seething hatred for this demented madman seeping out of him. "He can't keep up this pace and he will make a mistake, either with the abduction or with the... disposal." He choked on the word. "And when he does, we will be there to make him pay for it." Hotch's red-rimmed eyes finally looked up and locked with his. "I promise you that," he added firmly, tightening his hold on Hotch's shoulder.

Hotch nodded. He wiped his face with his hands and took several deep breaths to get himself back under control.

"Thanks Dave."

"You bet. Go take a shower and call Jack. It should be a little after six by then in Virginia. Maybe that will help you get some rest."

"Yeah, maybe." Hotch got up, picked up his soaked sweatshirt and went back into the bathroom, his night clothes still in there from earlier. As Rossi heard the shower turn on, he vowed to keep a closer eye on his friend for the remainder of this case. No matter how bad this case got, he was not about to let Aaron Hotchner break.

* * *

_01/09/2013_


	10. Day 10: Special Moments

**A/N: TEN DAYS STRAIGHT! As a friend mentioned not long ago, making it 10 days makes it a habit. This is one habit I don't plan on breaking! Thanks to all of you who read/alerted/favorited this collection, and especially to those of you who reviewed. You make me smile! Thanks to all of you for the support.**

**I love those brief little Hotch/Rossi moments on the show; the ones that give you little glimpses into the awesomeness of their friendship. This is one of those moments. Enjoy! :)  
**

* * *

**365: Day 10**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Special Moments**

"Hey," Aaron caught up with Dave as they made their way to the elevators from the parking garage.

"Morning," Dave held the elevator door for him. He noticed the extra pep in his friend's step. "What's got you in such a good mood this morning?" he asked as they entered the elevator.

"Beth is coming into town this weekend."

"That's great," he smiled. "So any big plans?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask a favor."

"Name it," he looked at him curiously.

"Jessica is going to keep Jack for us Saturday night. Do you mind if we borrow the cabin?"

"Sure. I'll bring you the keys tomorrow. So are you planning anything special?"

"Maybe," he grinned. "You know, it's been a little over a year since we met. I wanted to do something special a few weeks ago, but there was just too much going on." He shook his head. "I still can't believe it's been a year."

The elevator dinged their arrival to the sixth floor. "It's been a good year," Dave clapped him on the shoulder as they exited.

"It has, for a change."

They walked up the stairs together to their offices. "Hey Aaron," Dave called out as Hotch opened his office door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's an incredibly short list, Dave," he laughed.

"Exactly," Dave winked and made his way to his own office. They both booted up their computers and prepared to start their day with one thought in mind.

_Please don't let us get a case!_

* * *

_01/10/2013_


	11. Day 11: The Writer

**A/N: Hi again! Day 11 is here. And I only have one thing to say about this chapter... Take that, writer's block! HA!**

**Since this chapter is Rossi-centric, I dedicate this to my pal, Ilovetvalot. *big hugs* to you! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 11**

**Characters: David Rossi**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**The Writer**

David Rossi sat in his home office, fingers resting on the keys of his laptop, poised to write the next best selling true crime novel. Fingers just waiting to move, perched on the edge of excitement. Fingers waiting to process the thoughts, fears, and emotions of the battle between good men and evil-doers.

And yet... the fingers sat perfectly still.

David Rossi stared at the blank screen, the lone black cursor flashing, tormenting him to write something. Anything!

His publisher demanded it.

His fans begged for it.

His editor yearned for it.

And yet... the fingers sat perfectly still.

He had found the white page of doom. Or as most people referred to it, writer's block!

What happened? Why couldn't he put his thoughts into words? Why couldn't he choose the right case to dissect for the masses? He had thirty years worth of cases to choose from. Thirty years of personal experiences. Thirty years of triumphs and failures. Thirty years of joy and pain.

But maybe that was the problem. He'd seen too much evil, experienced too much pain, to go about reliving it again and again.

He felt a familiar weight on his leg as Mudgie rested his head atop his master's knee. The dog glanced up at him as if he knew exactly what his master was feeling. Dave smiled at his old companion. He scratched his ears and under his chin, earning him a lick on the hand.

With a sigh, he stood. "Maybe you're right, Mudg. Some fresh air would do us both some good."

He gathered the dog's leash and a bottle of water for himself and headed out the door toward the lake on the edge of the property. The cool air and gentle breeze would help him relax, calm his nerves. And a day out with Mudg was always welcome.

And the cursor continued to blink.

* * *

_01/11/2013_


	12. Day 12: Date Night

**A/N: Hi again! A few people wanted to see Hotch and Beth's night at the cabin (as mentioned in "Day 10: Special Moments"), so here you go! Hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 12**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rated: T**

* * *

**Date Night**

Beth came into town Friday evening to see her two favorite boys. She, Aaron and Jack spent the evening eating pork chops and mac & cheese - still Jack's favorite - and playing board games, much to the seven-year-old's delight. Then there were pop corn and movies under a giant pillow fort on the living room floor. Coffee for the grown-ups and chocolate milk for the little guy before an awesome bedtime story, and Jack was out like a light. Aaron and Beth spent the rest of the evening snuggled together, both falling asleep fairly quickly after a busy day.

Saturday afternoon, Aaron and Beth dropped Jack off with his Aunt Jessica before Aaron drove them to their "surprise evening getaway". He wouldn't tell her anything other than tonight would be special. He drove the path around the lake, delighting in watching her take in the breathtaking scenery, before pulling up in front of the cabin.

"This place is beautiful," she said as they got out of the car. Aaron retrieved their overnight bags and escorted her through the front door. They both immediately noticed the delicious smell of Italian food and saw a bottle of wine chilling in an ice bucket on the kitchen table. There was a fire already roaring in the fireplace. Aaron smiled and shook his head. Beth looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"This is Dave's cabin. I asked him if we could borrow it tonight. I didn't expect him to do all this." He made a mental note to thank his friend Monday morning.

There was a note on the table next to the bottle...

_Aaron, _

_I hope you and Beth enjoy the lasagna. It should be ready by 6:00. Consider this my "congratulations on one year" present. You deserve it. Beth, thank you for making my best friend smile again. And for putting up with him for a year. You deserve a medal just for that!_

_Enjoy your evening. Don't do anything I wouldn't do! ;)_

_(Garcia taught me that.)_

_Dave_

They both chuckled at the message. After checking the clock, he pulled the lasagna from the oven. The sauce was warming on top of the stove. Aaron found two wine glasses in the cabinet and opened the bottle, knowing it would be one of the best on the market, and would go perfectly with their dinner. And they were not at all disappointed. Dave was a masterful cook when it came to Italian food. Just the right amount of basil and garlic for the sauce, the perfect blend of Italian cheeses, just enough Italian sausage mixed with the meat to give it a slight kick, made for melt-in-your-mouth perfection. The way they both moaned after the first bite told them both how wonderful it was.

"I love David Rossi," Beth uttered between bites.

"I love David Rossi, too," Aaron agreed. They both laughed, then promptly devoured dinner interspersed with light, playful flirting and laughter.

Afterwards, they put the leftovers in the fridge and the dishes in the dishwater. They brought the bottle of wine into the living room. Aaron found a Frank Sinatra CD in Dave's collection and put it in the CD player. He held his hand out to his lady love.

"Dance with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she smiled as she took his hand. He spun her around and pulled her close to his chest, resting one hand on the small of her back while their joined hands rested against his chest over his heart. They were cheek to cheek as they slowly swayed with each other. Beth toyed with the short hairs at the base of his neck as he nuzzled her neck.

"I missed you," he whispered. He pulled back to look into her beautiful eyes.

She put her hand on his cheek. "I missed you too."

As Sinatra crooned in the background, they leaned into each other and kissed, gently at first, then passionately, like a couple that had been without each other way too long. Before long their hands were roaming into each others hair, under the hemlines of their shirts. Beth moaned as Aaron's lips found that electrifying spot behind her ear. She clung to him tightly as he devoured her neck. She finally pulled his head forward so she could kiss him again, infusing into it all the love she felt for him. When they finally pulled apart, both were panting, cheeks flushed, lips red and swollen.

She looked up at him and found those gorgeous dark brown eyes shining brightly, filled with so much love and affection, looking down at her. And those dark brown eyes found the same in the beautiful blue eyes gazing back at him. No more words were spoken. They weren't needed. He took her hand, kissed it, led her to one of the back bedrooms and closed the door, leaving Sinatra serenading an empty living room...

...

Dave entered his office Monday morning and found a note waiting for him...

_Dave, _

_Thank you again for your generosity this weekend. The lasagna was delicious and the wine was perfect. I really appreciate you allowing us to use your cabin as a getaway. We needed the time alone._

_And don't worry, we washed the sheets. :P_

_(Garcia taught me that, too.)_

_Aaron_

Dave laughed out loud and pocketed the keys that were sitting next to the note before sitting down and getting to work.

* * *

_01/12/2013_

* * *

**A/N 2: Yes, I left the rest of their evening vague on purpose. This is remaining an overall 'T' rated series. I'm sure you can use your imaginations! *snickers* Also wanted to let those of you following the story know that there may not be an update tomorrow. We are having inventory at work and I may not have time to get an update posted. However, if I'm unable to post tomorrow, you will get two Monday to make up for it.**


	13. Day 13: Fight For Your Life

**A/N: Well I managed to get something written between my work shifts after all. Yay! I'm trying a slightly different style with the first part of this. It's told from an Unsub's point of view... sort of. Let me know what you think.**

**And thank you all very much for all the reviews and the support!**

* * *

**365: Day 13**

**Characters: Team**

**Rated: T**

* * *

**Fight For Your Life**

An Unsub in a rage makes for a very unhappy BAU. A very large Unsub in a rage makes for a very painful arrest process.

This Unsub - a former bodybuilder and MMA fighter - decided that if he was going down he was taking as many people as possible with him, including six BAU Agents. And he would take them down not with a gun or knife, but with his brute force and Martial Arts skill - the same weapons he'd used to murder three people.

The two Chicks and The Skinny Kid went down easily enough, though they tried to fight, which he admired. The Old Man put up much more of a fight than expected. He was impressed by that, but two good shots to the kidneys put him on the ground as well.

Now the other two - The Muscle and The Suit - they were a challenge. They worked well with each other. Obviously they trained together. He would put them down, but they kept getting up. He caught The Muscle with an elbow to the temple, knocking him loopy for a moment. That gave him the opportunity he needed to get The Suit out of his way. The Suit was crafty, dodging and ducking, trying to wrap him up like an old school wrestler who knew trying to match force for force would get him nowhere. It was a shame The Suit wasn't a little faster, for the Unsub managed to catch him, flip him over and go on the attack. He gave him a quick punch to the face to disorient him, then attacked the chest and ribs with rapid fire punches and a kick or two.

But then The Muscle was back on his feet, and the Unsub was caught off guard. The Muscle got his arm around his throat. He tried to flip him over, but The Muscle had the advantage from this stance - The Muscle was standing, the Unsub was on one knee. He knew from his fighting experience that there was no breaking this hold. He tried fighting it for as long as he could, but his vision started to blur and he had no choice but to tap out.

By now, The Suit, The Old Man, The two Chicks, and The Skinny Kid were back up, though The Suit looked a bit unsteady. It took three sets of cuffs to arrest the barbarian. They all escorted him to a waiting cruiser, their backup finally showing up five minutes too late. The two officers looked mortified at the appearances of the agents who had come so far to help them. Guilt filled them at not being able to protect them.

"My God! Are you all alright?"

"We'll live," The Muscle said. "Be careful with him."

"We'll call ahead, have someone standing by at the station when we arrive." The young officer sounded very nervous and swallowed hard. "Are you sure you're alright? Do we need to call an ambulance?"

"We'll go get checked out. It's procedure. We'll see you at the station in an hour or so."

The officer nodded, got into his car and they drove away. The Suit waited until the car was out of sight before dropping to his knees and groaning in agony.

After a trip to the Emergency Room, the verdicts were in:

The Blonde Chick - black eye, bloody nose, bruised ribs, nothing broken.

The Brunette Chick - cut lip, broken nose, bruised jaw.

The Skinny Kid - stitches over the eyebrow, strained wrist, nothing broken.

The Old Man - strained back muscle, bruised kidney, bruised rib, nothing broken.

The Muscle - mild concussion, cut lip, stitches just over the left ear, nothing broken.

The Suit - three broken ribs, two bruised ribs, bruised sternum, bruised jaw.

And for The Unsub - bloody nose, bruised neck, three counts Murder, six counts Assault on a Federal Agent.

And finally, they were on their way home.

* * *

Erin Strauss just happened to be walking by the elevators when they opened and the BAU team walked out, looking like they'd all been in a train wreck. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"Dear God! What the hell happened to all of you?!"

They all looked at each other. Derek Morgan was their choice to tell the story. And he did so with only three words.

"Dude was big."

They all chuckled except Hotch, who started to, then immediately groaned.

"I'm assuming you all followed protocol and were examined?"

Hotch handed her a file. "Our medical reports. In light of our condition I'd like to request a week stand down for my team."

"Granted," she agreed before ever opening the file. Before she could get through page one (JJ's report), a pink blur sped by her and into the arms of Derek Morgan.

"Look at you! All of you!" She checked over all of them. "What did that big meanie do to my babies?!"

"Easy, Garcia. We'll be okay."

"Garcia," Strauss got her attention. "I'm granting them a week off to recuperate. Why don't you take the week off as well. Analyst Lynch can handle whatever comes in for the BAU this week."

"Thank you, ma'am," she said, barely able to take her eyes off her injured team.

"Let's get the reports finished and go home," Hotch said as he began walking to his office, gingerly walking up the stairs, Rossi right at his side.

"Sounds good to me," Morgan agreed. They all nodded their agreement, ready to get home and rest.

* * *

_01/13/2013_


	14. Day 14: Peaceful Pal

**A/N: Hi again! Thank you so much for all of your reviews. Your comments make me smile and I love hearing from you. **

**This is a very short piece. Just a guy and his dog...**

* * *

**365: Day 14**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Clooney**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Peaceful Pal**

Morgan got home a little later than usual after finishing up the paperwork from their latest case. And his favorite four-legged pal was waiting for him. Clooney was prancing by the door as Morgan entered. He dropped his bags and showed his loyal companion some love. He gave him some good belly rubs and ear scratching as Clooney flopped around, tongue hanging out of his mouth, enjoying every second.

"You know, Clooney," Morgan talked to his pal, "you always know how to make me feel better after a rough day."

"Woof!"

"This was a tough one Cloon. I really need to clear my head. What do you say, bud? Wanna go for a run?"

"Woof! Woof!"

"Where's your leash? Bring me your leash."

Clooney trotted off and came back seconds later with his red leash hanging from his mouth. Derek rubbed his head affectionately and Clooney gave him a good puppy dog slurp. Derek laughed at Clooney's enthusiasm for a late night stroll. He reached down and gave the dog a hug and a kiss on the head before attaching his leash to his studded collar.

They jogged out of the neighborhood down the street for nearly a mile to a nearby park. Derek found a bench near the pond and sat down, Clooney flopping on the ground at his feet. He sat for about 20 minutes enjoying the peaceful scenery. And he thought about what a dog, a cool breeze, and some fresh air could do for a man's peace of mind. And with that thought in his mind, he and Clooney walked home.

* * *

_01/14/2013_


	15. Day 15: Peaceful Pal II

**A/N: One BAU pet got his turn in the spotlight. Now it's time for the other! Hope you enjoy this little tale about a girl and her cat...**

* * *

**365: Day 15**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, Sergio**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Peaceful Pal II**

Emily Prentiss returned to her apartment after a busy day. She was quickly learning to appreciate just how hard Hotch's job was as a team leader. She was one now too, heading up her own Interpol team. There was so much more paperwork for the team leader. Some days she felt like she was drowning in it. And my God, the amount of signatures she had to sign! Her right hand felt like it had developed a permanent cramp. Sometimes, like tonight, it was difficult to hold her keys to open her apartment door.

Once she managed to get inside she was greeted by a little black fuzzball.

"Meow! Mrrraow!" He rubbed his head against her leg. She put down her bags and picked him up.

"Hey, there's my Sergio! How's my buddy?"

"Meow!"

She scratched him behind the ears as he purred loudly, glad his "mom" was home. She carried him into the kitchen and sat him down in front of his food bowl while she filled it, and made herself some dinner.

Afterward, he followed her from the kitchen to the desk in the living room and hopped on top of it while she booted up her laptop. He scratched his chin on the corner of the screen while she typed in her password and pulled up Skype.

"Let's see if anyone's home." To her delight, someone was. She hit the call button.

Sergio's ears perked up when he heard the Skype ringtone and he watched the screen intently as a face he recognized popped up.

"Hey gumdrop!"

"Hey Garcia!"

"Meow!"

"Hey Serge! How's my little black ball of joy?"

"Meow!"

Emily laughed. "He's good, Pen. Adjusting well to British life. I think he's even developing a little British meow."

They both laughed as Sergio pawed at the screen, recognizing the fun lady that took care of him while his "mom" was away for so long. The ladies talked for the better part of an hour while Sergio sat next to the computer. Emily stroked his fur while they talked and he purred the entire time.

She never realized that something as simple as a friend and a cat's purr could be such an excellent stress reliever.

* * *

_01/15/2013_


	16. Day 16: Lucky

**A/N: Day 16, brought to you by Aaron and Jack Hotchner. For my Rock Star, because I know how much she liked the junior G-man. :)**

* * *

**365: Day 16**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating K+**

* * *

**Lucky**

Aaron Hotchner returned to his home after a long grueling case. The only thing in the world he wanted was to see his little boy's face. He'd seen too many little boys faces this week, and not in any sort of a good way. Little boys were supposed to be lively and carefree. They were supposed to be running and getting dirty and playing the day away. Little boys weren't supposed to be victims of madmen. Little boys weren't supposed to be dead.

He entered the front door and turned off the alarm system quickly so the noise wouldn't wake his son. Jessica met him in the living room. She took one look at him and shook her head.

"You look like hell."

"Yeah." He dropped his bag by the door and his keys on the desk. He ran a hand over his tired face. "Bad guys never take a vacation."

"I know." She walked to him and gave him a hug. "Jack tried to wait up for you, but he conked out about half and hour ago."

Just the mention of Jack's name made him smile. "It is pretty late. I didn't expect him to still be up. I'm going to spend a long time watching him tonight, though."

"That bad?"

"Worse."

"Are you okay?" she looked at him with concern.

He gazed down the hallway toward his son's room and took a long cleansing breath. "I will be."

She put a comforting hand on his arm. "You call me if you need anything, okay?"

"I will. Thank you. For everything."

"Any time. Try to get some rest."

He escorted her out, then went to the only place in the world he wanted to be. He opened the door to Jack's room and knelt by his bedside. The boy was soundly sleeping in his Captain America pajamas wrapped snugly in his Captain America blanket, his head resting comfortably on his Captain America pillow. He smiled at the sweet serene look on his son's face, safe and sound in dreamland. He gently brushed Jack's hair back and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I don't know how I got lucky enough to be your dad, but I'm so glad I am," he whispered. "I love you so much, buddy."

Jack stirred and blinked his sleepy eyes open.

"Daddy?"

"Hey buddy. I'm home."

Jack pushed his covers away, climbed up on his knees and wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck. Aaron held him tightly to his chest. "I missed you, pal."

"I missed you too," Jack mumbled with his head on his dad's shoulder.

"You feel like bunking with your old man tonight?"

Jack smiled big. "Yeah!"

Aaron picked him up and carried him to his room, Jack's little arms never disengaging from his neck. He dropped him on his bed while he changed clothes, then tucked them both in. Jack curled up tightly to Aaron's side and Aaron wrapped his arms around him.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." His tired eyes were already closing.

"I love you too, son."

His son was safe and sound in his arms. Now he could sleep.

* * *

_01/16/2013_


	17. Day 17: Heartbreak

**A/N: If you haven't seen the latest episode, "Zugzwang" (8x12), stop right here! This is a post-ep and will contain spoilers...**

**Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, especially my guest reviewers to whom I could not send a personal thanks. You make me smile!**

* * *

**365: Day 17**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Heartbreak**

Hotch watched from his office window as his team wrapped up for the day. Spencer seemed to me on autopilot. He was offered time off, but refused it, saying getting back to work was the best thing for him. Morgan watched him carefully but seemed at a loss for what to do for him. He'd tried talking, but in this situation, he couldn't necessarily relate. Blake patted him on the arm on her way out, a silent show of support and an acknowledgment that she was there for him at any time. JJ and Garcia hugged him and kissed his cheek and he offered them a slight half smile that didn't come anywhere close to reaching his eyes.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Rossi asked as he stood in Hotch's doorway.

Hotch sighed. "I've got to do something. I can't stand by and watch him crash and burn. I won't."

"None of us will." Rossi cupped his shoulder. "Good luck. I'll tell him you want to see him."

"Thanks."

A short time later there was a tentative knock at his door and Spencer Reid stepped in. "Rossi said you wanted to see me."

"Come in, Reid. Sit down."

Reid knew immediately where this conversation was going and he really didn't want to endure this. "Hotch, really, I'm fi..."

"Please don't say you're fine, Reid. You and I both know you're not."

Reid dropped onto the couch and hung his head. Hotch sat in the chair next to it.

"I know you don't want to talk about it. I understand. I'd like you to listen." He sighed. Reopening these wounds was much harder than he realized. But it was worth it if it helped his friend crawl out of the dark.

"I've been exactly where you are, Reid. And as hard as I tried to handle things myself, insist I was fine, I was far from it. All of you knew it. When..."

He had to stop and take a deep breath. His emotions were much closer to the surface than he liked. But then, they always were where she was concerned.

"When Haley was... killed," _God, that was still so hard to say,_ "my world was ripped out from under me. Everything I knew, everything I believed in, everything I'd worked so hard for didn't matter anymore. Nothing made sense. We save people all the time, but the one time my family needed me to be the hero, I failed and she and our son paid the price. All I wanted to do was crawl into a very dark hole, shut out the world, live in my own self-loathing, but I couldn't. My son needed me to be strong for him, but I didn't know how. All of you showed me how. You all stood by me. You wouldn't let me handle things by myself. I never would have made it through that time without all of you. You pulled me out of the dark. And I will always be grateful for that."

He looked up to see tears streaming down Spencer's face. He was having a very difficult time keeping his own tears in check. He swallowed hard and put his hand on Reid's shoulder. "We're all here, Spencer," he spoke softly. "Anytime. Always. You understand?"

Reid looked up and nodded, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"I've never been in love before," Reid's voice cracked. "I had no idea love could hurt this much."

"You did everything you could to try to save her, Reid. She knows that. Sometimes we don't win, and we're reminded of that in the most painful ways."

"It isn't fair."

"No, it isn't."

Reid shook his head and took a shuddery breath. "I don't know how to do this, Hotch."

"We do it together. You're not alone, Reid."

He nodded. "Thanks, Hotch."

"Anytime you want to talk, please come to me. Anytime. We'll get through this together."

"Okay."

They both got up and Reid headed for the door while Hotch went back to his desk. Reid stopped short.

"Hotch?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk now?"

Hotch smiled sadly and nodded. "Let's go get some coffee."

* * *

_01/17/2013_


	18. Day 18: Tick-Tock

**A/N: Still going strong! How cool is that?! *happy dance* Thank you all for the encouragement!**

* * *

**365: Day 18**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Tick-Tock**

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Waiting. That's all they were doing now.

Waiting. Watching. Hoping. Praying.

Waiting for the right tip to come in.

Watching the Unsub's house for any sign that he would return there.

Hoping he would make that indelible mistake that would lead them straight to him.

Praying they wouldn't be too late.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

The clock seemed to mock them. Every second lost to them was one gained by their Unsub. Every second that passed was one more he got to spend with his victim. Seconds that turned into minutes. Minutes that turned into hours. Hours that turned into days. Days that they could not afford to lose. Days that their Unsub could not be allowed to gain.

Every ring of the phone gave them renewed hopes that a valid tip was on the other end.

Every hang up dashed those hopes again and again.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

They poured over information. Forwards. Backwards. Sideways. Diagonally. They examined the information from every conceivable angle. They picked through it with a fine-toothed comb. They went little piece by little piece, cross referencing every possible combination of facts.

Frustration was setting in. They needed to take a break. They needed to step away from it for a few hours. But they couldn't. Not with another young woman's life on the line. They had to find a way to keep going.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

They were running out of time.

* * *

_01/18/2013_


	19. Day 19: Blackhawks Up

**A/N: As Garcia informed us in an episode last season, Derek Morgan is a hockey fan. And today is the first day of the 2013 NHL Hockey Season! Let's see how Morgan reacts when he can't watch his beloved Chicago Blackhawks on opening day...**

**Yes, all game details are directly from today's game. All rights belong to the National Hockey League.  
**

* * *

**365: Day 19**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Blackhawks Up**

"Man, I can't believe we got a case today!"

Derek Morgan was in disbelief. Finally, after a nearly three month work stoppage, the National Hockey League was up and running. Today was opening day, and his beloved Chicago Blackhawks had the opening game against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings. And today of all Saturdays, they get called in on a case an hour before game time.

He walked into the bullpen wearing his Patrick Kane #88 jersey. Garcia greeted him as he came off the elevator.

"Sorry baby," she rubbed his arm. "I know how much you've looked forward to this."

"This sucks. Serial killers can't give me one day off!"

"'Fraid not."

They went to the briefing room, got all the information on their case, and within the half hour they were on the jet heading south. A few minutes into their flight his phone pinged. He looked down to retrieve the message.

"Yeah!" He pumped his fist in the air. "That's how you start boys!"

The others looked at him quizzically.

"Blackhawks update. They're up 1-0." A mere three minutes into the game, his boys, Patrick Kane in particular, were on top and playing strong. Kane scored the goal.

"Sweet!" JJ responded. Though not much of a hockey fan, she completely understood his enthusiasm. The two of them were the biggest sports fans on the team.

As the team were talking over the finer details of the case and breaking down case assignments, his phone pinged again. He checked, did a little happy dance in his chair, but continued to mainly focus on the case. JJ noticed. As soon as they were done discussing the case, she leaned over to him.

"Who scored?"

"Marian Hossa. We're up 2-0."

"Nice!"

Less than five minutes later, it pinged again.

"Yeah! That's right! Spoil that Stanley Cup celebration!"

Thanks to Michael Frolik, the Blackhawks were up 3-0 at the end of the first period. And it only got better.

The next update came just moments into the second period informing him that his team was now up 4-0, thanks to Jonathan Toews. Rob Scuderi and Jordan Nolan tried to pull the Kings back into the game, but the speed and power of the Blackhawks proved to be too much for them. And in the third period, the veteran Hossa netted his second goal of the game.

Morgan got the final notification as they were landing. "Yes! There you go Blackhawks! That's how you start a season!"

"What was the final?" JJ asked as they got up to exit the jet.

"5-2. Just letting those Kings know they're only keeping the Stanley Cup warm for us. We're coming back for it!" The Blackhawks were Stanley Cup Champions in 2010, and their young team and their fans were thirsty for another taste of that Stanley Cup glory.

Due to the work stoppage, the league was only playing a 48 game season as opposed to the usual 82. Every player and fan knew just how important every game would be. And Derek Morgan was one happy fan knowing his team had made that first very important step toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hotch shook his head. He was glad the game had ended before they arrived at the police station. At least now he knew he'd have Morgan's undivided attention on the case at hand. Of course, he would be logging onto the NHL website after checking into their hotel rooms for the night to get updates on his Washington Capitals, hoping they had as good a day as Morgan's Blackhawks.

But for now, they had a case to solve.

* * *

_01/19/2013_


	20. Day 20: My Town

**A/N: Twenty for twenty! Woo-hoo! Thank you all so much for all the reviews and the support and encouragement.**

**This piece gives you a little glimpse into how the small town detectives feel when the Unsubs invade their communities. Hope you like it.**

* * *

**365: Day 20**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Local Lead Detective**

**Rated: K+**

* * *

**My Town**

The BAU Agents arrived at the police station shortly before 7:00am. They had been here for three days and were now well acquainted with the layout of the office and with the staff. They all nodded and smiled at the civilian receptionist who manned the front desk.

Reid immediately went to their makeshift conference room to study the map. It always seemed he had a new piece of information to add first thing in the morning after a few hours sleep. Blake was beside him, letting him explain what he was adding to the map and why. JJ checked on the night's press coverage to see if she needed to do any damage control before falling into her new role as Profiler. Morgan sat down with the files to go over all of the obsessional aspects of their case, often bouncing ideas and theories off Rossi. Hotch's first stop was the coffee pot, where he was met by the lead detective on the case.

The stocky detective was a little older than him, a little younger than Rossi. He was a rugged looking individual, one who had seen too many hard winters in this frigid little town in North Dakota. His salt and pepper hair was thinning, his mustache was neatly trimmed, but his eyes told the tale of how hard this case was weighing on him and his officers, as well as his town. Things like this didn't happen here.

"You guys sure do get an early start," he said as he filled his first cup of the day. Hotch turned to him and smiled.

"Yeah, none of us sleep very well when we're out in the field. It's too hard to turn off the case."

"I can understand that," the detective nodded. "When I first became a cop and saw some pretty awful things, I didn't think I'd ever sleep again. Now I see those same signs in my rookies."

"Learning how to let it go is tough. Especially when the case is still open or there isn't any closure."

"Yeah."

The two men stood silently drinking their coffee. The detective watched the team of Profilers as they worked diligently.

"I can't thank you all enough for coming out here. I know our little town can't be very high on the radar." He ran a hand over his tired face. "I still can't believe this is happening here. We haven't had a murder in this town in nearly ten years. Things are mostly quiet and peaceful here. I don't like seeing the people of my town so afraid. And until we catch whoever is doing this, there's nothing I can do to ease their minds. It's a helpless feeling."

"Hopefully we'll be able to help put an end to this nightmare for you soon. The good thing about small towns is that everybody knows everybody. They notice when something is out of place. Somebody knows this guy. They just don't realize it yet. Once we're able to solidify our profile and make it public, someone will recognize the signs." He put a hand on the exhausted detective's shoulder as his determined eyes met the detective's tired ones. "We will find him."

The detective nodded in acknowledgment. "Just tell us what we can do to help. Anything you need."

"Why don't you come sit in with us and listen to what we've got so far? You know this town better than anyone. You may notice something we don't. Something about the locations, the geography. No detail is too small or insignificant."

"Anything you think will help us get our town back from this monster, you got it."

The detective followed the BAU leader, finally feeling a slight glimmer of hope that the nightmare would end soon. Everyone looked up when they entered the room.

"Let's go over what we know..."

* * *

_01/20/2013_


	21. Day 21: Trust

**A/N: For the first time ever, I've reached 200 reviews! Thank you all so very much for the reviews, the encouragement, and the support! It means more than you'll ever know. Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

* * *

**365: Day 21**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Trust**

Reid and JJ sat in not-so-comfortable silence in her living room in front of the fireplace. Things were much better between the two of them, but his trust in her was still on the mend. It wasn't as solid as it once was. They were working hard toward fixing that and had made major progress over the last year or so. There was still one thing Reid needed JJ to know about that time after Emily's "death". She needed to know just how close he'd come to falling off the cliff.

He'd asked to meet with her tonight. Will took Henry for a boys night out so they could have time alone. According to JJ, Reid sounded like he needed to get something off his chest. Even though it had been nearly two years, she knew there were still some unresolved issues regarding her betrayal of his trust, and until they got everything out in the open, those issues would always be there.

Surprisingly, Reid looked nervous as they sat on the couch. For someone who used words to combat his nervousness, he was awfully quiet. JJ knew she had to wait him out. He had something important to say. Otherwise he would not have asked to meet with her. But his silence was unnerving her.

He sipped his coffee while trying to piece together the right words in his mind. He'd never had this conversation with any of the team. He never planned to. But he wanted her to understand why he was still finding it hard to fully trust again after so long.

"Spence," JJ placed a hand on his arm and looked at him, concerned. "Are you okay?"

He swallowed hard. _Well_, he thought, _now or never_.

"JJ, you remember when I told you I'd thought about taking Dilaudid again after Emily's death?"

Her eyes went wide. "You said you didn't." Her voice held a scared tone.

"I didn't," he reassured her. "But I haven't had cravings that strong since I went through withdrawal. You have to understand that the cravings are always there. They never fully go away. You just learn how to suppress them or find substitutes to trick your mind into thinking you've satisfied that need."

He took a deep breath. This conversation was going to be much harder than he thought.

"I came so close to using again that it scared me. I found a dealer, bought it, and had a syringe loaded before I realized what I was doing. I sat there staring at the syringe running through all the positives and negatives of shooting up and forgetting for a while. And then I thought about how upset Emily would have been had I done that. I thought about how I would never be able to look Henry in the eye again. I thought about how I would be letting down everyone who ever helped me."

He felt JJ grip his hand tightly and heard her sniffles, though she remained silent, letting him finish.

"The one night I didn't come over here during those ten weeks was that night. I didn't use. I broke the vials and the syringe and dumped it all out. Then I went to Emily's grave. I sat by her gravestone all night and cried. I couldn't stop shaking. I was so scared, JJ. I was losing confidence in my ability to control my addiction, in my ability to do my job. I've never been so unsure of everything around me. Nothing made any sense. And then a few months later I found out why nothing made any sense."

"God, Spence. I'm..." But Reid kept talking.

"When we found Doyle I thought 'finally, we can make this right for Emily'. And then Hotch made his announcement. And Emily walked into the conference room. And I looked at your face, and I realized. You knew. The whole time, you knew. That moment is still frozen in time in my mind. I'll never forget it. I mean, of course I won't forget it, but even if I could, I know I wouldn't. Everything stopped in that moment. I've never felt so confused in my entire life.

"I mean, Emily Prentiss was standing right in front of me. She was alive. I was elated that she was alive. But then when I realized you and Hotch had known all along and you let us go through that..." he shook his head as his own tears began to fall. "I've never been more hurt. I've never felt so betrayed. I couldn't possibly understand at the time why you would let any of us go through so much pain and not say anything. I don't think I've ever felt so alone.

"I do understand now, you know. I know why you and Hotch had to do what you did. I don't like it, but I get it. But every once in a while that nagging feeling of doubt creeps back into my subconscious and I can't shake it. I need to know, JJ. I need to know that you would never put me through something like that again. I need to know that you trust me enough to always tell me the truth."

He finally looked up and met her eyes, and what she saw broke her heart. She wasn't looking at Spencer Reid, FBI Agent. She was looking at the scared little boy who never really knew the love and trust of true friendship. She wiped the tears off his face and threw her arms around his neck and held on tight.

"I lost a part of myself that night in the hospital, Spence. All those nights you came over here and cried, I spent just as many nights on the phone with Hotch trying to find a way to justify what we were doing to all of you. We justified it by saying we were keeping Emily alive, but both of us knew the kind of damage we were causing our family. That's what you are, Spence. You're family. All of you are. I couldn't handle putting any of you through something like that again. I care about you too much to risk losing you again."

He pulled back to look her in the eye, and after a moment he gave her a slight smile.

"I trust you."

JJ smiled.

* * *

_01/21/2013_


	22. Day 22: Sick Days

**A/N: Once again, thank you all so much for the reviews and encouragement. I'm glad to see you're all still enjoying this collection. You make it very easy for me to keep going. We've almost made it a full month together! Party for us! **

* * *

**365: Day 22**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Sick Days**

"Morning, Hotch."

"Morning."

The unusual gravelly sound of Hotch's voice made Alex Blake look up from her desk. She was momentarily shocked at his appearance. He was still in his customary suit, but it looked a bit rumpled. His normally perfect hair was slightly disheveled, a cowlick sticking up in the back. His face was flushed, eyes slightly puffy, and he was sniffling.

"You look like hell. Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Jack's been sick all weekend." *sniffle*

"How is he?"

*sniffle* "He's fine." *sniffle* "He went back to school this morning."

"That's good," she nodded. "What about you? Looks like he may not be the only one sick."

"Nah, I'm just tired." *sniffle* "I'll be fine in a little while."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Thanks for asking."

He went to the breakroom and made a cup of hot tea before making his way to his office. As always, David Rossi stopped in to say good morning on his way to his own office. It only took two seconds for Rossi to notice his unkempt appearance.

"Hotch?"

He looked up and sniffled again.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Working."

"You're sick, Hotch. Go home."

He shook his head. "Serial killers don't take sick days, Dave."

"There are still six of us here, Aaron. I think we can manage one day on our own."

"I'll be fine, Dave."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don't get the rest of us sick, please."

Hotch chuckled, then coughed. Dave merely shook his head and went to his own office.

They made it through their morning briefing. Morgan and JJ noticed how bad he looked. Reid, thankfully, was the only one who didn't say anything about it to him. He simply looked at him and shrugged, empathizing with him not wanting all the attention. As the morning rolled on, there was more coughing and some sneezing. More sniffling. He tried to focus all his attention to the stack of paperwork on his desk, but his head was throbbing. He took some ibuprofen and kept working.

Around lunchtime Rossi knocked on his office door, but got no answer. He let himself in to find a most peculiar sight. Aaron Hotchner was asleep at his desk. He couldn't help but hang his head and chuckle. 'You're hopeless, Aaron' he said to himself as he walked to Hotch's desk and gently shook his friend's shoulder.

"Aaron, wake up."

Hotch started awake, then groaned. Rossi put the back of his hand against Hotch's forehead.

"Come on. I'm taking you home."

"I'm fine, Dave."

"You are not fine. You're asleep at your desk in the middle of the day and you have a fever. Whether you will admit it or not, you're sick. Now come on, get up."

Hotch finally gave in and got up, gathering his things.

"I hope Jack is a better patient than you are," Dave kidded him. Hotch attempted to glare at him, but a sneeze got in the way. Dave laughed. "Nice try."

"Shut up."

They exited his office and passed by the team on their way out.

"Are you taking him home?" Blake asked.

"Yes."

"Good," JJ said.

"Get some rest, Hotch," Morgan added.

"Feel better soon," was Reid's reply.

"Thanks guys. Call if you need anything."

"We will," Morgan said, even though they all knew they wouldn't call him for anything less than a dire emergency.

Rossi got him to the car with little fuss and was not at all surprised that he fell asleep during the short drive to his apartment. He woke him up long enough to get him from the car to the apartment and got him laid down on the couch. He found some cold medicine in the cabinet and made him take it.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow if you're feeling better."

"Alright," he nodded as he curled up on the couch.

"Get some rest."

"Dave?" he called out.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime," he smiled before setting Hotch's alarm and leaving. Hotch quickly fell back to sleep.

* * *

_01/22/2013_


	23. Day 23: Picking Up The Pieces

**A/N: This is a post-ep for 8x13 "Magnum Opus" but doesn't contain too many spoilers. Although if you haven't seen at least the opening team scene, you won't really understand what Rossi is talking about in this piece. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**365: Day 23**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, mentions of Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Picking Up The Pieces**

Hotch was putting the final signature on the final piece of paper to close out the Mission District case when he heard a knock on his door. Rossi waited for the okay to enter this time instead of simply walking in like he usually did.

"Hey Hotch."

"Hey. Did the others leave with Reid?"

"Yeah, they left a few minutes ago."

"Good," he nodded as he closed the file and put it in his "Complete" box to turn into Strauss in the morning. "So what's up?"

"Listen, about what I said yesterday morning..."

"Dave," Hotch cut him off. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm sorry, Aaron. I wasn't thinking."

"We all lost people we love in tragic ways, Dave. In a way, you and I both got to say goodbye, although not how we wanted. At least you and I got to have the experience of loving Carolyn and Haley for years. We got to have lives with them. Experience joys and triumphs and sorrows with them. Reid barely got to see Maeve's face, barely got to say hello before she was ripped away from him. He has been through so much. It's just not fair."

Dave nodded. They sat in silence for a while, both thinking about the loves they'd lost. They'd lost them both to very different types of killers. Lost them both so tragically. But they'd had time. Reid didn't have that. He'd had fleeting moments, precious phone conversations and letters that he'd cherish forever, but not time. He deserved so much better that what this life had dealt him.

"Did you talk to Reid?" Dave asked, finally breaking their silence.

"For a moment. I made sure he knew we were all here for him."

He nodded and hesitated before asking, "He's going to be okay, right?"

"He'll be okay. With time."

"Yeah." Dave got up to leave, but Hotch stopped him.

"I still miss Haley, Dave. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. But I can talk about her now. You don't have to worry about upsetting me by mentioning her. It's okay."

He offered Hotch a slight smile. "I still get choked up when I think about Carolyn. There's always something special about your first love. We were lucky men, Aaron."

"Yes we were." He got up from his desk and picked up his coat, turning off his desk lamp. They walked together to the elevators. "I'm going to swing by Reid's tomorrow afternoon to check on him. Do you want to come?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. I need to see the kid is okay for myself. I worry about him."

"Me too. We just have to be there for him when he needs us. After all," he sighed heavily, "we can relate."

"Unfortunately, yes we can."

* * *

_01/23/2013_


	24. Day 24: I'm Not Going Anywhere

**A/N: So, who's up for a little more Hotch and Rossi? Here ya go!**

* * *

**365: Day 24**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**I'm Not Going Anywhere**

"I don't see any breaks and no dislocation," the doctor said, looking at the X-rays. "That shoulder is going to be sore for a few days but that should be manageable with some over the counter pain relievers. The bruising is going to take a little while to subside. I want to monitor that head injury for a bit longer, but so far I don't see any signs of a concussion. We will probably release you tonight provided someone can stay with you."

Dave shook his head. "Hotch is gonna flip."

"Hotch?" the young doctor asked.

He nodded. "There's going to be an agent coming here soon looking for me. Kinda tall, very stoic, perfect suit, dark hair. He will probably have a very serious 'don't mess with me' glare on his face. He's not exactly family but he's the closest I have to it. Let him in, would ya?"

"And this would be Hotch?"

"Yes."

"Interesting name."

Dave chuckled. "It's short for Hotchner. Aaron Hotchner. He's my brother. Close enough, anyway."

"I see," the doctor nodded. "I'll send him in when he arrives. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

Less than ten minutes later, young Dr. Brookside returned with the tall, stoic, dark haired suit at his side.

"You were right, Agent Rossi. I found him at the front desk."

"Hopefully he wasn't intimidating your nurses and staff."

"You do know I can hear you, right?" Hotch stood with his arms crossed staring at Dave.

"So were you intimidating the staff?" Dave smirked and cocked an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Dave."

The doctor chuckled at the two men - one so serious and one so... not.

"So far," the doctor began, "your tests are looking good. See your doctor when you get back home. The stitches over your eye will need to come out in about a week or so. Your doctor can determine that once he sees how well it's healing. I'll start to work on the release papers. You should be good to go in about half an hour." With that, the doctor left the two men alone. And as soon as Hotch heard the door close, he lit into Rossi.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You could have been killed!"

"It was the only way to stop the truck before he hit the interstate and you know it," Rossi stood his ground. "It was either me or a rush hour full of innocent people."

"So you block the intersection and let him T-bone you?" he asked incredulously.

"Aaron, I'm fine and the Unsub is in custody. I stopped him the only way I could without too many innocent people getting hurt."

In his plight to escape Federal Agents, the Unsub started a high speed chase, sideswiping a few cars and causing some minor accidents in the process. Dave realized he was heading for the interstate and found an alternate route to get ahead of him, blocking his access. With no time to stop, the Unsub slammed into Dave's SUV. The Unsub was uninjured and tried to run from the scene, but the locals in pursuit caught up to him quickly, placing him under arrest. Medics who were on standby and not far away brought Dave to the hospital to be checked out.

Aaron turned his head away. Dave could tell his eyes were glistening and he was fighting to keep control of his emotions.

"Hey," he said, grabbing Aaron's wrist to get his attention. "I'm okay."

"I know," he replied, albeit shortly, and Dave could hear the strain in his voice.

"You want to tell me what's going on with you?" Dave sounded concerned.

Aaron took a shuddery breath. "I was clear on the other end of the county following up with witnesses when I heard about the chase. I was driving like hell to get back over here and then I hear is that there's been an accident and you've been taken to the hospital. Morgan called and said you were okay, but not being here, not knowing..."

He shook his head and closed his eyes tightly. He refused to let any tears fall, though they were fighting behind his eyelids to get out. "I've lost too many people close to me, Dave. I can't lose you, too."

Dave stood up from his hospital bed to stand in front of Aaron. "Look at me."

Aaron looked up. Dave took Aaron's hand and placed it on his chest over his heart. "You feel that?"

Aaron nodded, feeling Dave's heart beating under his palm.

"I'm okay, Aaron. I'm not going anywhere. Not for a long time. I promise."

Finally, Aaron relaxed.

* * *

_01/24/2013_


	25. Day 25: Movie Night

**A/N: Hi again! Hope everyone is well. Time to have a little after hours fun with our favorite crime fighters. I will say this... if you have not seen the movie "Office Space", then this chapter will make absolutely NO sense whatsoever! There are some specifics from the movie mentioned here, so consider this your spoiler warning. Also, if you haven't seen it, go watch it now! Like, right now! It's absolutely hysterical! I'm not one for comedies (I usually don't find them very funny) but his movie is a personal favorite. Hope you enjoy movie night with the gang!**

**Disclaimer - I do not own "Office Space". No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

**365: Day 25**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Movie Night**

"Let's have a movie night!"

"All of us?"

"Yeah! It will be great!" She flailed her arms enthusiastically as only Penelope Garcia can when she's excited. "You can all come over to my place. We can make popcorn and S'mores and hot chocolate and it will be so much fun!"

"You think we can find a movie that all seven of us agree on?" Morgan asked.

"I already have the perfect one."

"Let's hear it, Baby Girl."

"'Office Space'! It's hilarious!"

"She's got a point," JJ nodded. "That's a great movie to relax to."

"Why would we want to watch a movie about working in an office after we've spent all day working in an office?" Reid asked, perplexed.

"Because there's a lot more going on that just the office stuff," Blake commented. "Come on, Spence, it will be fun."

"It would be nice to see someone else's crazy office antics for a change," Rossi stated.

"And you might just relate to some of these people," Hotch added.

"You've seen it?" JJ raised her eyebrows at him. "Didn't peg you as one for comedies."

"I'm not usually, but that is a good one. Especially when you realize that at some point in your life, you've worked with some people who act exactly like those characters."

"Oh it's so true!" Garcia jumped in. "So everyone's in?"

They all nodded. "We'll be there, Baby Girl."

"Awesome!"

* * *

A little after 7:00pm the team started to arrive at Garcia's apartment. Morgan brought the beer. Hotch and Rossi went in together and bought dinner for everyone - Chinese food, of course. JJ brought the popcorn. Blake brought a bag full of various candies. And Reid brought the makings for S'mores. Garcia was flat out giddy to have everyone together in her multi-colored oasis. She hadn't had the whole team together in her apartment in several years. Not since her shooting. This would definitely erase those painful memories and create a slew of happy fun ones to replace them.

They ate dinner, all laughing and joking with each other. It was one of the most relaxed dinners they'd had as a group. There was nothing more serious hanging over their heads other than whether to make popcorn first and then S'mores, or the other way around. They decided to make them at the same time. JJ took care of the popcorn. Rossi, the S'mores. Garcia passed around bowls so everyone could have their own popcorn. Except for Morgan, that is. She had to share her bucket with her favorite chocolate hunk.

Blake dumped the candy onto the table so everyone could pick their favorites. She kept a pack of M&M's and dumped it into her popcorn, shaking it all around to mix it in. Reid watched, perplexed.

"What are you doing?"

"You've never done this?" She looked at him. "It gives you the perfect mix of salty and sweet. It's delicious! Here," she held out her bowl to him. "Try it." He did. And immediately picked a pack of M&M's for himself. They all laughed.

Garcia pulled out the large projection screen.

"Yeah, now that's what I'm talking about, Mama!"

"Movies are made to be shown on a big screen, my sweet," she smiled. And their movie night was underway.

Throughout the movie they all had to make comments...

"The poor guy's name is Michael Bolton?! Oh man..."

"Think they used our copy machine for this movie..."

"That guy would be fired so fast..."

"That scheme will never work..."

"That guy is going to burn the place down..."

"Why is he so hung up on his stapler? It's just a stapler..."

When the three lead characters kidnapped and beat the crap out of the copy machine with a Louisville Slugger, they all cheered. Popcorn flew into the air. JJ gave them a standing ovation. Hotch laughed out loud. "God, I'd love to do that to ours."

There was much laughter, more popcorn throwing, a bit of drinking, and a genuine wonderful evening for all of them. There were lots of comparisons of current and former colleagues to the wacky characters. And in the end, Rossi had guessed right.

"See, I told you he'd burn the place down!" That drew a chorus of cheers and laughter. And more popcorn throwing. Eventually the party wound down. They all helped clean up before parting for the evening.

* * *

Spencer Reid stared at his desk. He remembered where he left it. Of course he remembered where he left it. But it wasn't there. He looked around, completely perplexed. That was how Morgan found him when he returned from the breakroom, two cups of coffee in hand. He sat one on Reid's desk.

"What's wrong, Pretty Boy?"

Reid cocked his head to one side and looked at Morgan.

"Have you seen my stapler?"

* * *

_01/25/2013_


	26. Day 26: All In

**A/N: AlexandriaZ - This chapter is for you! Thank you so much for all the reviews and the encouragement. As per request, let's have a little fun with Rossi and Strauss! I hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 26**

**Characters: David Rossi, Erin Strauss, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**All In**

Around the green clothed poker table only two players still remained in the game. Hotch was acting as dealer, as he was late to the game and didn't want to jump in midway. Reid was not allowed to play due to his uncanny ability to count cards and was running every possible combination of winning hands in his head as he looked at the three cards already laid on the table. Morgan, Blake, Jareau, and Garcia had all lost their money and were reduced to onlookers of the final battle.

And then there were two.

David Rossi.

Erin Strauss.

The game was Texas Hold 'Em.

Rossi and Strauss each held two cards. The "flop" - three face up community cards - had already been dealt. The Ten of Spades, the Ace of Hearts, and the Jack of Spades peered up from the table waiting to the remaining participants to make their move.

Both players exuded confidence in their hands. Both stared each other down with no fear. A cockiness in their ability to draw the winning hand oozed from them both.

"One of these days you're going to learn not to play poker with me, Erin."

She laughed. "I seem to remember hearing that phrase the last time we played. Right before I took your money."

"You think I'd let that happen again?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"Let? No. But it's going to happen anyway."

The others watched with wrapped attention. Seeing these two go after each other was always fun and exhilarating.

"Are you two going to bet sometime tonight so I can drop the next card?"

"Who's bet is it?" Blake asked.

"Rossi's" Reid answered.

He looked discreetly at his cards and back at the table. A few possibilities ran through his head. He looked back at Erin, who showed no signs whatsoever of the value of her hand. One more glance and he dropped $10 more in the center of the table. Erin studied her cards a few moments more before raising the bet an additional $10. Rossi called the bet.

Hotch dropped the fourth card face up on the table - the turn card - the Ace of Spades. That drew a chorus of "ooohhhh's" from the onlookers. A pair of Aces and the makings of a Straight Flush lay on the table. Reid once again began calculating the odds in his head. Both players sat up a little straighter.

"This just got serious," Morgan commented. Blake nodded in agreement. Garcia sat wide-eyed.

"I'm glad I'm already out," JJ shook her head. "This is too much for me."

Both players stared intently at their cards, the cards on the table, and each other.

"What do you say, Erin? Want to make this interesting?"

"How interesting?"

Rossi pushed his remaining $60 to the center of the table.

"All in."

"Whoa!" Morgan and Garcia gasped. JJ and Blake both stared open mouthed at each other. Hotch's eyebrows shot up.

Strauss crack half a smile, more like a smirk, and pushed her money to the center as well.

"Are you really ready to cry in front of all these people, Rossi?"

He laughed out loud. "We'll see who's crying in a moment."

Hotch chuckled and shook his head. "Well, here goes." And he dropped the final card - the Three of Diamonds - on the table.

The five cards on the table - two Aces, a Jack, a Ten, and a Three - could be used in conjunction with the two cards each player held to make the best possible five card hand.

Rossi laid down his two cards. The Queen of Spades and the Three of Clubs. His best possible hand was two pair - Aces and Threes.

"Not bad, Rossi," Blake commented. "And the Queen kicker is nice."

"Yes, it is nice," Strauss commented. "But not as nice as a Full House."

She dropped her cards - the Ten of Clubs and the Ten of Hearts. Her best hand was two Aces and three Tens. And as per poker rules, a Full House beats Two Pair.

Rossi hung his head as Strauss laughed out loud. "I tried to warn you, David," she chuckled as she gathered up his money and stacked it neatly before tucking it away in her purse.

"Dave, man," Morgan shook his head as he handed $10 to JJ. "You let me down!"

"One day you boys will learn not to mess with women," JJ said, pocketing her newly won side bet. "Especially women who know how to play the game."

"Thank you, JJ," Strauss nodded to her.

"Nice game, ma'am," Hotch nodded to her as he rose from the dealer seat. He looked at Rossi and simply shook his head.

They all gathered their things to leave. Rossi walked them all to the door.

"I'm going to win my money back next month."

Strauss laughed heartily. "Oh, I look forward to watching you try. Thank you for a lovely evening."

"Yeah, thanks Rossi."

"Anytime," he said as they all said their goodbyes and headed for home.

Rossi closed his front door and went to the back door to let his dog inside. "What do you think about that, Mudgie," he rubbed the dog's ears. "Lost in my own house." He shook his head. The dog simply barked and enjoyed the attention. "That's just wrong, isn't it, bud? Wrong on many levels." He could almost swear the dog laughed.

* * *

_01/26/2013_


	27. Day 27: Surprise Visitors

**A/N: Once again, thank you all so much for all your reviews, PM's, and words of encouragement! **

**This one is for my pal Rockie. Hope you like it, babe!**

* * *

**365: Day 27**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Surprise Visitors**

Aaron was enjoying a blissful Sunday afternoon with his son. He had the day off and no pressing issues to drag him to the office. The two Hotchners were in Jack's room building a Lego monstrosity attempting to use every piece the boy owned, which quite possibly numbered in the thousands. They already had forts and houses and cars and trucks and all sorts of various animals. Jack was working on a helicopter when they heard a knock at the door.

"I'll be right back, buddy," Aaron said, ruffling his son's hair as he went to answer the door. When he looked through the peep hole, his eyes lit up like Christmas and he quickly released the locks and opened the door.

"Surprise!"

"No kidding!" He pulled in his impromptu guest and hugged her tight. "What are you doing here?"

"My meeting was cancelled. Our client's flight was grounded in Wisconsin due to ice, so we're not meeting until mid week. And I suddenly found myself with a free afternoon. I took the first train out."

He couldn't possibly smile any bigger. "I'm so glad to see you. Someone else is going to be glad too. Hey Jack!" he called to his son. "There's someone here to see you!"

He came running from his room and stopped in the doorway. His eyes and his smile got as big as his father's.

"BETH!" The boy ran into her arms.

"Hey Jack-Man!" She gave him a monster hug. "Oh man, I've missed these hugs. You've gotten even bigger since the last time I saw you!"

"Yep! And look! I lost another tooth!" He grinned big so she could see the gaps.

"That's awesome! So what are you guys up to today?"

"We're building a Lego fort," Jack told her enthusiastically. "Wanna see?"

"More like a Lego Universe, really," Hotch added.

"You bet I wanna see. It sounds great!"

"Go ahead, Jack. We'll be there in a minute."

Jack ran back to his room as the two adults took their time, sharing a meaningful kiss in the living room.

"So how long are you here?"

"Just for the day, unfortunately," she sighed. "I have to be back first thing in the morning to prep for a new exhibit."

He heard a bit of sadness in her voice. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. I just miss you. And him."

He hugged her tight once more. "We miss you, too."

"Come on, guys!" Jack called out from his room. They both chuckled. He kissed her forehead and they went to join Jack.

They spent the rest of the morning helping Jack build whatever they could think of. They added an airplane, an airport, a museum, another helicopter, a race track, and more animals to his collection. By that time they were all getting hungry.

"What do you want for lunch?"

Jack eyed his father carefully. "Can we go to McDonald's? The one with the Playland?"

Hotch looked at Beth. "That work for you?"

"Of course. Everyone loves Playland."

"Yes!" Jack pumped his fist in the air.

"Go use the bathroom and get your shoes and your jacket." Jack ran out of the room.

"I don't know if I've ever thanked you for being so good with him."

She touched his cheek. "You don't have to thank me. He's a wonderful kid. It's funny how much more like you he seems every time I see him."

"I'm not so sure that's a good thing."

"Trust me," she winked at him. "It's a great thing."

He smiled bashfully. "Thanks."

Jack came running back, jacket on and shoes tied. And the three were off to McD's and the incredible Playland.

"I've got a lot of vacation time stored up," Aaron said as they sat and watched Jack play. "We could plan a trip up to New York soon. Stay for a week or so."

"I'd love that," she said. "I don't have much vacation time yet with the new job and all. I could probably take a day or two around a weekend though. I'm sure you boys could find something to do in the city while I'm at work."

"I'm sure I could keep him entertained. We can go to a hockey game. I'll plan it for when the Caps are visiting the Rangers. We can be the only two fans in Madison Square Garden in Caps jerseys."

She laughed at that.

"I should take him to visit his Uncle Sean."

"Oh! That reminds me! I met him the other day."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Our museum director held a big dinner for some prospective clients at his restaurant. I didn't get to talk to him much. They were really busy. He smiled pretty big when I told him I was dating his brother. Then he wished me luck."

Hotch laughed out loud. "That sounds like something Sean would say. When we come up, maybe I can arrange a proper introduction."

"That could be fun."

"It will definitely be interesting."

They laughed. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him and patted his chest.

"I've really missed you."

"Me too."

After lunch they went back to the apartment. Jack picked out a movie and they sat on the couch and ate popcorn and laughed at the crazy antics of Alladin and his Genie friend. Then they had hot fudge sundaes and played a round of Hi Ho Cherrio and Candy Land. Much too soon, it was time for them to take Beth to the train station.

They all had a little trouble saying goodbye. Jack wrapped his arms around her neck tightly. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"Me too, buddy," she rubbed his back. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"Your dad is going to plan a trip for you two to come up and see me in New York soon."

He wheeled his head around to look at his dad. "Really?"

"Really," he nodded.

Jack's face lit up. "Awesome!"

He finally released his hold on Beth so his dad could have his turn. He and Beth hugged each other tightly and shared a gentle kiss.

"So we'll see you soon, then."

"I can't wait," she smiled. She put her hand over his heart. "Please be safe."

He put his hand over hers. "Always. Call me when you get in tonight."

"I will."

They kissed once more before parting ways. Hotch walked a few steps away, holding Jack's hand, before stopping and turning around.

"Beth!" he called out. She stopped walking and turned around, finding him in the crowd.

"I love you."

He could see her face light up and her eyes shine brightly as she smiled. It was the first time he had said those words to her.

"I love you, too. Both of you."

They waved to each other again, both grinning like goofy teenagers, before walking away again.

"Did you hear that, buddy?" Hotch smiled down at his son. "She loves us."

"Yes!" They fist bumped each other. Hotch swung his boy up on his shoulders and the happy Hotchners headed home to plan their New York vacation.

* * *

_01/27/2013_


	28. Day 28: Monday Ugh!

**A/N: After hearing about my husband's really bad day at work, this popped into my head. Here's to all of us hard working people and our arch-nemesis... Monday!**

* * *

**365: Day 28**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Monday... Ugh!**

Hotch sat at his desk going over the various case reports that were due to be handed in less than an hour from now. He was appalled at the amount of mistakes these case files held. What had gotten into his team? This was completely out of character for all of them.

Morgan handed in forms without his signature.

Blake's last report was missing the final two pages.

JJ's file was missing the autopsy report on the second victim.

Reid's extensive case notes were in the wrong case file.

He didn't even have Rossi's reports yet. And it was after 4:00 in the afternoon.

All this, and it was only Monday! He rubbed his forehead and tried to decipher the mess that was becoming his desk. He was having to go through every case file much more carefully that usual to make sure there hadn't been more mistakes.

Rossi knocked on his office door and entered without waiting for the go ahead.

"Here you go," he held out his case file for Hotch to approve and turn in to Strauss.

"Don't move," Hotch said as he began flipping through the file. Dave looked at him curiously, but Hotch didn't notice. He went page by page checking for signatures, evidence breakdowns, autopsy reports, and anything else that a complete case file involved. Blissfully, everything was in order. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Dave. "Thank you."

"Everything okay? You look a bit flustered."

Hotch pointed to the various files littering his desk and shook his head in disbelief. "Everybody is off their game today. All these files are missing information. No signatures, mixed up notes and reports. I don't get it."

"Wow," Dave agreed. "That's bad."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, it could be worse. At least the day is almost over."

Hotch's eyes grew wide. "Please tell me you didn't just say that."

"What?" Dave looked at him with confusion.

"Dave! You're a baseball fan! You know not to make statements like that until the game is over! You risk sending the game into extra innings!"

"When did you get superstitious?" Dave laughed. Until he heard her voice.

"Agent Hotchner!"

Hotch groaned and dropped his head to his desk with a loud *thunk*. Dave slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Oh man. I'm sorry Hotch."

"Dave," he said, head still on his desk as he heard Chief Strauss' heels clanking on the stairs leading to his office. "Get. Out."

The afternoon just got worse. _'Mondays!'_ he thought. _ 'Ugh!'_

* * *

_01/28/2013_


	29. Day 29: Strong Enough

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for all the reviews, encouragement, and support to keep this story going. We've almost made it a whole month! Woo!**

* * *

**365: Day 29**

**Characters: Alex Blake, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rated: K+**

* * *

**Strong Enough**

Alex Blake stood on the observation bridge, arms crossed and leaning on the railing, overlooking the bureau obstacle course, one of many field training courses cadets had to master before graduation. She remembered being that young and confident. Fearless. Eager. Women were not as common in the FBI in her early years. They had to fight harder at every turn to even be given a first glance. While men still outnumbered women by a large margin in her field, women were beginning to catch up.

When not in use for a training class, the course was open to any cadet or agent who wished to get in some practice time. She watched two young women practicing on the course, preparing for their big day, which was just over a week away. As a light rain fell, she thought back to all the reasons she wanted to be one of those women in a predominantly male profession. Why she wanted to put herself in the line of fire to protect total strangers. Why she would risk her life in the name of justice. And why she would willingly risk her physical, emotional, and mental well being after a case like the one they had just endured.

She ran her fingers through her wet hair and took a deep cleansing breath. Then suddenly realized she was no longer getting wet. She looked up to see Hotch standing over her with an umbrella. He, too, was watching the cadets practicing on the course, no doubt mentally critiquing what they did well, what they could have done better, strengths, weaknesses, teamwork abilities.

"You're a tough person to find," he mentioned as his eyes stayed on the course.

"Coming out here helps me think. Reminds me why I do this job."

"We all need a little reminder sometimes."

She looked up at him and realized the case had hit him every bit as hard as it hit her. Sometimes it was difficult to tell beneath that stony exterior, but she was slowing learning how to read her Unit Chief. That distant look in his eye told her he was looking for his own reasons to put himself out there again and again.

"These kids have no idea what they're getting themselves into, do they?" She turned to face him, still leaning on the railing of the bridge.

He shrugged. "They know it will be hard. They have no idea how hard. But if we told them everything in recruiting seminars, we wouldn't have any new recruits. They'd all run screaming into the night."

She laughed at that. "Very true." She paused to reflect. "I wish I had known more back then."

"Would you have chosen a different path?" He watched her curiously. Like her, he was still trying to figure out his newest agent.

"No," she shook her head. "But I would have done it better the first time around. I wouldn't have let the politics get the better of me."

He nodded in understanding. "It's hard not to let the politics beat you when you're a young agent."

"You seemed to manage okay," she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I had a slight advantage. I had David Rossi to protect me." He smiled slightly, remembering his early days in the BAU and how Rossi mentored him into the unit. He thought about how Rossi looked out for him, cautioned him against office politics. _'Don't be a politician, he'd said. 'Leave that for the bureaucrats. Politics will cloud your judgment. Be an agent and be a good one. That's what the people deserve.'_

She smiled as well, albeit a melancholy smile. "I wish I'd had someone looking out for me."

"You have that now," he looked down at her. "You're a part of this family now, Blake. We take care of, and protect, each other."

"Thanks, Hotch," she said with sincerity.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I will be."

"You know my door is always open if you need it."

"I do. Thanks."

He started to walk away, but turned back, nodding toward the course. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

She looked out over the course feeling that familiar fire that burned within her, telling her she was born to do this job. She smiled. "Yeah. I did."

"Good."

As he walked away, she turned back to the course, where a new group of cadets were working. A new class of potential agents ready to take on the world. She hoped they were strong enough to handle everything that came with this job. Some days she wondered if she was still strong enough.

* * *

_01/29/2013_


	30. Day 30: Stormy Nights

**A/N: We're almost there! One more day! And THANK YOU! We broke 300 reviews! *hugs reviewers and throws confetti*  
**

* * *

**365: Day 30**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan, mentions of Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rated: K**

* * *

**Stormy Nights**

JJ sat at her desk with an extremely large cup of coffee. Her hair was in a ponytail, her make-up bag was on her desk. She had clearly left the house in a hurry. The dark circles under her eyes, which she was currently trying to cover, spoke of a woman working on very little sleep.

Reid came to his desk with his own coffee and sat down. "Morning JJ."

She grumbled something that might have been "Good morning."

He looked up and noticed his friend's rumpled look. He quirked an eyebrow. "Rough night?"

"Henry doesn't like storms."

"Ah." He understood perfectly. Last night produced severe storms across much of Virginia. Torrential rain, thunder, lightning, and fierce winds made themselves at home across the state. Most children, especially those under the age of five, have a fear of storms. Spencer Reid was no different.

"He fell asleep early last night," JJ said. "We hoped he'd sleep through the worst of it, but the siren on the weather radio woke him up. Then the thunder and lightning started and that was it. No more sleep for the LaMontagne household."

"Henry have a rough night?" Morgan asked as he joined the two at their desks.

"He has Astraphobia," Reid nodded. JJ stopped applying her mascara and stared at him. Morgan did the same.

"He has what?" they asked together.

"A fear of storms. It's not at all uncommon in children. In most of them it's not even really a phobia so much as a normal progression in their natural development. It's not considered a phobia unless it lasts more than six months, and even then it's treatable."

"Yeah," JJ nodded, "well after last night, I would definitely classify it as a phobia. Every time it thundered he cried and clung to either Will or I and burrowed himself under the covers in our bed. Thunder truly freaks him out."

"Did you try the 'It's only the angels bowling' trick?" It was Reid's turn to look confused. Morgan laughed. "When I was a kid and scared of thunder," he explained, "my sister would tell me that it was the angels having a bowling tournament. And when it would get really loud she'd say one of them got a strike and she'd start cheering and dancing around the living room."

JJ laughed. "I can picture that."

"It was fun." Morgan smiled at the memory. "I grew to love thunderstorms. We would set up these little plastic bowling pins in the basement and have our own tourney. I was probably six or seven years old. Those became some of my favorite times."

"I may have to try something like that with Henry. I think the siren scared him more than anything, but he just could not calm down last night. He would start to relax, the thunder would start up, and he'd be freaked all over again. He finally just wore himself out and fell asleep... less than an hour before my alarm went off."

"Wow, poor kid," Morgan said.

"Poor mom," Reid said.

"Yeah," JJ laughed. "You guys just keep me from falling asleep at my desk today and everything will be fine."

"Deal." The three of them clinked coffee cups and laughed. JJ finished putting on her make-up and they all settled into their morning routines.

And JJ made a mental note to invest in a set of plastic bowling pins.

* * *

_01/30/2013_


	31. Day 31: Checkmate

**A/N: We made it! January is now COMPLETE! *happy dance* Thank you everyone for all the reviews, encouragement and support!**

* * *

**365: Day 31**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Alex Blake**

**Rated: K**

* * *

**Checkmate**

The jet was peaceful as the team had a late night flight home after a long case. Derek Morgan slept with his head back against the seat, headphones firmly in place. Jennifer Jareau was curled up in the seat next to him, head resting gently on his shoulder. Aaron Hotchner worked on paperwork while David Rossi took the opportunity to edit sections of his latest novel.

Across the aisle, Alex Blake and Spencer Reid were an hour into a quiet, contemplative game of chess. And Reid found himself in a very unusual predicament. He was losing! He studied the board intently, replaying his previous moves to discern how he got into this position, and previewing all his current possible moves trying to work his way out of the hole. He chewed his bottom lip, then his thumb nail as he narrowed his choice of moves down little by little.

"Everything okay, Spencer?"

"I haven't lost a game of chess since before Gideon left." His eyes never left the board.

"So... five years."

He nodded.

"It's about time someone gave you some competition then," she playfully smirked at him. He couldn't help but smile back.

"One can never get any better if he doesn't challenge himself." He made a decision and moved his Knight. "I fear my game may have gotten stagnant over the years."

"You're better than you think." She moved her Rook to guard her Queen. "And not just on a chess board." She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "These guys have known you for a long time, but don't forget, so have I. You've been a guest lecturer in my classes for several years now. I've seen how far you've come. You've always had confidence in your brain, but now you have confidence in yourself. It amazes me to watch you unravel a case the way you do. I'm proud of you, Reid. And I'm honored to get to work with you every day now instead of once a semester."

"Thanks, Alex." He continued to study the board. "It has been fun picking your brain more than twice a year."

She laughed. "I should be picking your brain, not the other way around."

"Well," he moved his Bishop into position, sat back and smiled, "it's just nice to play with someone who can still challenge me."

She sat up straight and stared at the board, stunned. "How did you...?"

"Checkmate."

"Oh, you are good, Spencer Reid. I want a rematch."

They reset the board and began game two as the jet cruised them all home.

* * *

_01/31/2013_


	32. Day 32: Research, Old School Style

**A/N: And welcome to FEBRUARY! Let's see if we can keep this thing going for another month. Thank you all so much for all of the encouragement. You are the reason this story keeps going. You guys inspire me to keep writing and I am forever grateful.**

**By request, this one is for M.E. Happy Birthday! Hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 32**

**Characters: David Rossi, Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Research... Old School Style**

Penelope Garcia was hard at work as usual in front of her electronic babies, shuffling from screen to screen processing as much data as she could as fast as she could in her quest to help her favorite crime fighters solve another case. This case was local, thankfully. Her team were all in the office working diligently in the conference room and she didn't have to worry as much as she normally did when they were in the field. She'd just been given a new set of parameters to search when all of a sudden... BOOM!

A transformer outside blew and Quantico was thrust into darkness. The emergency lighting came on. Only enough light to see where one was walking, but not enough power to keep the vast amount of technical machinery going. Garcia stared at her dark screens in disbelief. The generators should have been able to keep them working, but for some reason, they were not coming back on. How was she supposed to help her crime fighters when she couldn't do the research, analyze the data?! Panicking, she fled her lair and scurried to the conference room.

"Oh! Good! You're all here!" she panted. "NONE of the computers will come back up! I can't check anything!"

"Calm down, Kitten," Rossi put a hand on her back. "Being without technology is not the end of the world."

She looked at him incredulously. "How can you say that?!" her arms flailed.

He leaned back away from her flailing arms, finally catching one and returning it to her side. "I can say that because I've done this job in a world sans all this immediate access technology." He pinned her with that Italian gleam in his eye. "Do you trust me, Garcia?"

"Um...maybe," she hesitated. "That look in your eye is making me nervous."

He laughed. "Let an old man show you how it's done. You and Reid come with me."

"Me?" Reid looked confused. "Why me?"

"Trust me, kid," he clapped him on the shoulder, "you'll like this little journey."

As the three of them left the conference room, Hotch began to quietly laugh and shake his head. Morgan looked at him quizzically. "You know where he's taking them?"

"To the Archives."

"He's taking Garcia to the Archives?" Morgan's eyebrows shot up. "He does know of her aversion to paper, right?"

"I'm sure he can handle it. It would certainly be fun to watch, though."

Morgan laughed with him.

* * *

Rossi stopped in front of a large grey metal door and pulled out a set of keys and a flashlight. He fumbled through them, finally finding the right one, and opened the door. Garcia and Reid followed him inside.

"Welcome to the Archive Room. Home of the entire works of the BAU."

Reid's eyes widened in wonder. "This is every case the BAU has ever filed. Some of the personal case notes of the greatest minds the Bureau has ever seen are in this room!"

"This is how we did research in the early days. You need to find past cases that have similar signatures or motives to the one you're working on? Find your year and start reading."

"You're kidding me," Garcia stared at him, eyes nearly bugging out of her head. "We're going to go through all those case files one piece of paper at a time? All this paper is making me itchy." She made a show of scratching her arm. "I want my cyber files back."

"No, this is GREAT!" Reid countered her, a case file already in his hand. "This is Max Ryan's first case with the Behavioral Sciences Unit. His notes, interviews, theories and hypotheses, right here in my hand! This is amazing!"

"Some of my first cases are in here as well. You can read them later, Reid. Right now we need to focus."

Garcia groaned out loud. Rossi chuckled. "It's not as bad as you think, Garcia. There is a very specific structure of organization here. You just have to know how to how it works."

He explained to them the breakdown of the room, how the flow of the room went, why certain files were different colors and what each specific color indicated, and before long, they were underway.

Garcia told him the latest set of parameters that Hotch had given her to search. He wanted a search of similar patterns in mysterious deaths in a certain region of the country, dating back to the mid-80's, focusing more specifically on mysterious drownings, but not immediately excluding other forms of strange deaths. Rossi took them to the aisle containing case files from 1984 thru 1986. He pulled all the blue folders and sorted them into three piles. He would take 1984, Garcia would take 1985, and Reid would take 1986 (since it was the largest pile). He gave them each a legal pad and a pen for which to make notes.

"Well kids, start reading. Discard anything that did not occur in the Atlantic states from South Carolina to Connecticut. Holler if you come across something interesting."

"Oh my God, this sucks so bad!"

"This is incredible!"

Rossi laughed out loud at how vastly different his two young colleagues were. One so completely consumed with the abilities of technology, and one more than willing to never use it if given the option. He shook his head as they all pulled out flashlights and got to work...

Rossi returned to the conference room four hours later with a stack of case files and three legal pads worth of notes. Thankfully, full power had been restored to their building 30 minutes before. Morgan and Hotch looked at him.

"Where are the others?"

"Garcia bolted from the Archive Room as soon as the power came back, mumbling something about her babies needing their mama. You might want to check on her," he looked at Morgan. "All that paper freaked her out a bit."

"I got this," he laughed and exited the room, shaking his head.

"What about Reid," Hotch asked.

"He's still in Archives. It may just be his new favorite spot in the building. I told him we'd call when we need him. When I left, he was going back to case number one. He'll have them all read in a few days, I'm sure. I sort of wish I'd taken him in there sooner. Granted, now we may never get him out!"

Hotch laughed. "We work with quite an eclectic bunch, don't we?"

"You got that right."

Hotch nodded to the case files and notes. "So what have you got?"

"A lot," Rossi said. He spread the case files across the table and went over everything they'd found. Hopefully it was enough to nab their bad guy.

* * *

_02/01/2013_


	33. Day 33: Soccer Saturdays

**A/N: This is another "by request" short. Cdub77 requested something with Henry and his parents. Here you go, Cdub77! Hope you like this one!**

* * *

**365: Day 33**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rated: K**

* * *

**Soccer Saturdays**

"Remind me again why these games are so early," Will yawned as he and JJ sat in their folding chairs on a crisp breezy morning.

"Because kids this age wake up with that much energy," she nodded to the field where their son and his teammates chased after the black and white ball up and down the field, full speed ahead.

They both smiled at their little guy, blond hair bouncing all over his head, his white jersey still a little too big for him. In this age group, teams did not keep score. They were lucky if the team kept the ball going in the right direction and remembered not to use their hands. Getting the ball anywhere near the net was the only objective. There were no definitive forwards or defenders guarding certain areas of the field. It was a four-year-old free for all! Even the goalies tried to chase after the ball before realizing they were supposed to stay in the net and would scurry back.

And Henry Jareau-LaMontagne loved every second of it. As did his parents. JJ and Will whooped and hollered and cheered with all the other parents for all the kids on the field. They smiled and laughed as the kids ran as fast as their little legs would carry them. One kid from the other team tried to kick the ball, missed, fell down, and laughed his little head off. When the whistle blew for halftime, all the players ran to their parents instead of their bench. The coaches just shook their heads and laughed.

"Great job, Henry!" JJ grabbed him in a hug and Will ruffled his hair.

"You're doing really good, buddy. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah!" he nodded excitedly. This was his first year on a team and he was having a ball with all his new friends. JJ took the cap off a small bottle of water and handed it to him. He guzzled for a second before something caught his attention.

"Mama! It's Jack!"

They looked across the field where Henry was pointing. Hotch and Jack were walking to one of the other fields. Hotch had an equipment bag slung over his shoulder. Assistant Coach Rossi was not far behind toting a cooler. Jack was talking animatedly and Hotch was laughing, but they weren't looking in their direction.

"Jack must have the late game," Will said. "Do you want to stay and watch Jack's game when you're done, Henry?"

"Yeah! Can we? Please?"

"Sure, then maybe we can all grab some lunch," JJ agreed.

"Yay!" Henry jumped up and down, sloshing his water.

"Careful, buddy," Will laughed.

"Oops."

"You better get back over to the bench with your coach before the second half starts."

"Okay, bye!" Henry handed his water bottle back to his mom and ran across the field.

As the players took the field for the second half, JJ sat back in her chair and smiled at her husband. "I'm really glad we signed him up for this."

"Me too," Will agreed. "He's having so much fun."

"Yeah. I was really nervous about him playing. I remember what the pressure was like as I got older and played competitively."

"I think our boy is up for the challenge. After all, check out his mom."

She laughed. "He's got a pretty awesome dad, too."

"Well, I don't want to brag..." he joked and JJ swatted his arm as they laughed.

They heard cheering and turned their attention back to the field. Henry's team had a breakaway! Caleb, Henry's teammate, kicked the ball towards the goal, but it slowed before making it to the goal. Henry ran to it and kicked it with everything he had. And it went in! JJ and Will shot to their feet cheering wildly.

"Yeah! Way to go Henry! Good job, Buddy!"

Henry looked up and waved proudly, smiling big after scoring his first career goal. His smiling, excited parents waved back at him.

As the game continued, JJ looked back at Will. "Yeah, he's got this."

* * *

_02/02/2013_


	34. Day 34: Super Sunday

**A/N: Happy Super Bowl Sunday in America! If you're having a Super Bowl party like I am, a lot of this will sound greatly familiar. Hope everyone has fun today! Go Ravens!**

* * *

**365: Day 34**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Super Sunday**

In most homes in America, Super Bowl Sunday is a time honored tradition of friendly gatherings, great food, big screen televisions, and football. For the seven members of the BAU and their families, this was no exception. This year, David Rossi's home was converted into Super Bowl Central. Early in the afternoon the team began to arrive.

Hotch and Jack were first to arrive. Dave met them in the driveway to help carry in the cooler of ice while Hotch and Jack carried in bags of various meats. Dave provided the steaks, Hotch provided the burgers and wings. And hot dogs for the kids. He also brought a container of special hot sauce for the wings, the recipe courtesy of his chef brother. He had another container of a milder sauce and one of honey barbeque. He handed the special sauce to Rossi.

"Be careful with this one."

Rossi took off the lid and sniffed. "Whoa!" His eyes began to water. "That's some serious stuff."

"Yep. We'll see how long Morgan lasts." They both laughed.

Hotch left Dave with the food and took the cooler outside to the deck. The cooler contained bags of ice and Hotch's beer of choice. Morgan was bringing another brand and JJ and Will were bringing sodas and some kid-friendly snacks. Garcia and Kevin were providing dessert and Blake and Reid were bringing side dishes. Hotch broke up the ice and dumped both bags into the cooler. He stood on the deck for a few minutes watching his son play with Rossi's dog in the back yard. He looked up when he heard more voices in Rossi's kitchen and soon he was joined by Will and Henry.

Will sat Henry down, zipped up his jacket and turned him loose to play with Mudgie and Jack.

"Dave showed me that sauce. I can't wait to try it."

"You may be the only one of us who can handle it," Hotch chuckled. "Though we're sure Morgan will try.

"That should be fun," Will laughed.

The others began trickling in little by little. Reid, then Blake, then Morgan.

"Where's my girl?" he asked as he put his beer in the cooler.

"Garcia had to stop by the store," JJ answered, shaking her head. Morgan's eyes went wide.

"She went to the store on Super Bowl Sunday? Is she crazy?!"

"They're going to be in there forever," Blake added. "I drove past it on my way here. Parking lot is packed!"

But to their surprise, Garcia and Kevin arrived a mere ten minutes later.

"We are never doing that again!" they heard Kevin say as they entered the house. "Football people are crazy!"

"Aw! But it's worth it, my sweet!"

"What's worth it?" JJ asked.

"This!" Garcia took the cover off the box she carried to show off their specially ordered Super Bowl XLVII cake. One half of the cake was vanilla with red and gold icing with the San Fransisco 49ers logo in the middle. The other half was chocolate with purple and black icing and the Baltimore Ravens logo. And as in traditional Garcia style, the words "Super Bowl 47" were in hot pink and blue icing. And along the edges were Mardi Gras masks, symbolizing the game taking place in New Orleans. That made Will smile.

"That looks great!" Blake said. Garcia beamed.

"Oh! And where are my junior G-men? These are for them!" She revealed a box of Super Bowl cupcakes, each topped with a souvenir helmet, half for San Fransisco, half for Baltimore.

"They'll love those, Garcia," Hotch said. "Thank you."

They all enjoyed fun conversation and a bit of ribbing while Dave cooked. Ten minutes before the food was ready, Hotch and JJ got their boys inside and cleaned up. Both their noses were bright red from the cold, but both were smiling big. Mudge followed them in, panting and walking straight to his water bowl.

The kitchen counter was loaded down with steaks, burgers, three platters of wings with various dipping sauces, chips and salsa and queso dip, cake, cookies, fruits and veggies. Everything looked mouth-wateringly delicious.

Both boys got a hot dog and some chips with the promise of a cupcake if they finished everything, which they did. Jack, growing boy that he was, even had a second hot dog.

Rossi cooked a few tofu burgers for Garcia and Kevin, which earned him a hug from his Kitten. The others loaded down their plates with steak and wings, careful which platter they chose their wings from. Most went for the mild or honey barbeque flavors. Will went straight for the hot. And Morgan, never one to back down from a challenge, took a few of the hot as well.

"You sure about that, big man?" Will raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, how bad can it be, right?"

Everyone watched as Morgan took the first bite. "Mmm. Good stuff," he said as he finished off the first wing and started on the second. Then it hit him. That delayed kick courtesy of the sauce. Morgan put down the wing, closed his eyes tight and groaned.

"I tried to warn you," Will chuckled.

Morgan picked up his beer and chugged, took a second to breathe, and chugged some more. He was breathing heavy and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth like a dog. The others laughed hard as JJ got him some bread and Garcia poured him a glass of milk.

"These will work better than beer, hot stuff." He took them greedily as they all laughed harder.

"Good God, man," he gasped. "What the hell is in that sauce?"

"It's Sean's Habanero sauce." Hotch informed him as Morgan wiped the sweat off his brow and the tears from his eyes. "His words were 'The Cajun will love this, but it will make Morgan cry.' Needless to say, I had to see it for myself," he continued to chuckle.

"That's just wrong, man," Morgan shook his head. "And how are you eating so much of that?" he raised is eyebrows at Will, who had nearly finished his plate full.

"I'm from New Orleans. We drink hot sauce for breakfast." He got up and went for seconds. "Want some more?"

"Nooooo thank you! I'll stick to burgers!"

"Wise decision," Blake rubbed his head.

They continued to laugh and joke with each other, still picking on Morgan, as they finished dinner. They decided to take dessert into the den as game time neared.

"I wish it wasn't so cold out," Rossi said. "We could have taken the TV out on the deck and watched outside."

"You can do that?" Reid looked at him.

He nodded. "The beauty of wireless receivers."

"Nice."

"Sounds like something we should do for the baseball All Star game or something," Morgan mentioned.

"I'm game," Rossi stated.

"Sweet!" Blake added. "I love baseball!"

"How about the Stanley Cup playoffs?" Hotch asked. "Those games are in the spring."

"You guys keep bringing the food, I'll keep providing the space."

"Yes!" Hotch and Jack fist bumped each other, along with Morgan.

"Let us football lovers have our title game, then you can have your other sports," JJ stated.

They all laughed.

And with that, it was game time!

* * *

_02/03/2013_


	35. Day 35: The Right Place

**A/N: Thank you all again for the reviews! Sending hugs to you all!**

* * *

**365: Day 35**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T (language)**

* * *

**The Right Place**

Aaron Hotchner and David Rossi sat in his office at the end of a long day. It was customary for Rossi to visit with Hotch after hours on the first day following a long case. Sometimes they would talk, sometimes they would sit in silence, taking comfort in each other's company. A show of solidarity that they were there for each other if needed.

Hotch seemed distracted this evening. The case had definitely taken its toll him, on all of them really. But him more so as he was their leader. After the first botched attempt to apprehend a suspect, the work of his team had been called into question. After another mistake, they'd questioned the competence of his field. When the third body was found, they questioned his leadership abilities. After they'd finally apprehended the Unsub, the lead detective had apologized, and Hotch had outwardly accepted, though it was still eating at him on the inside. On the jet, he'd barely spoken a word to any of them aside from saying they'd all done a good job and to leave the paperwork for the next day. He'd sat alone, barely made eye contact, and when the jet landed, he departed and headed home without a goodbye.

Needless to say, Rossi was a little worried. So he sat in what had become his chair across from Hotch's desk and waited. He didn't know if Hotch would talk or not. And that was okay, as long as Hotch knew that Rossi was there and always would be. Hotch stared out the window watching the rain for several minutes, hand rubbing his chin, lost in thought before he finally broke the silence.

"Do you ever think about what your life would be like if you didn't do this job?"

"I don't have to think about it. I lived it for a while, remember? Considering where I currently am, it's safe to say it didn't work for me."

"Right." He fell silent again, returning his attention to the window. Rossi wasn't about to let this train of thought die there. So he pushed a little.

"What's on your mind, Aaron?"

Hotch leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I think about it from time to time, wonder if I could step away from this life."

Rossi crossed his arms over his chest. "You're letting that asshole detective get into your head, Aaron."

"People question our field of study all the time, Dave," he tried to brush him off. "That's nothing new."

"But he didn't only question our field. He questioned your individual work ethic and your ability to lead your team. That's very new." He could feel himself getting angry.

"He apologized."

"Half-heartedly, if at all."

Hotch shrugged, making Rossi's Italian blood boil.

"Look at me, Aaron." Hearing the hard tone in Rossi's voice, Hotch complied. "We all make mistakes. On a case, in the field, we're not superheroes. We're human. Sometimes we get it wrong. It happens. But nobody does this job better than this team. And there is no better man to lead this team than you, regardless of what some back woods detective may think. Without you or this team, he would still be chasing his tail looking in all the wrong places for a psychopath that was terrorizing his city. And that psychopath would still be out there laughing his ass off at how clueless the police were and taunting them mercilessly. You are the best man for this team and you always will be. So get him out of your head!"

Hotch looked down at his desk, then back out the window again. Rossi could see the wheels turning in his head as he process what he'd just said. He took the opportunity to ask a burning question.

"So what do you see?"

Hotch looked back at him, brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"When you envision your life without this job. What do you see?"

Hotch shook his head. "I don't see anything. It's just... blank."

"Well," Rossi stood, "I guess that means you're exactly where you're supposed to be."

Hotch finally cracked a smile. "Yeah."

"Go home, Aaron. Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Dave."

Until tomorrow.

* * *

_02/04/2013_


	36. Day 36: Inspirations

**A/N: Holy crap! Over 400 reviews! That seriously blows my mind! Thank you all so very much for all the kind words, suggestions, encouragement, and for being so receptive to these fleeting moments in the lives of the BAU. You have all been so wonderful! BIG HUGS to you all! **

* * *

**365: Day 36**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T (language)**

* * *

**Inspirations**

Garcia, Morgan and JJ were enjoying some much needed time together during their lunch break, choosing to all eat together in Garcia's lair. They sat around a table away from her babies and engaged in their usual fun witty banter, taking advantage of a little time away from the gruesomeness of their work.

"Did you guys ever have that favorite TV or movie character you wanted to be like when you grew up?" Garcia asked as she munched on her turkey sandwich.

"I wanted to be G.I. Joe," Morgan said after sipping his drink. "That's my idea of a kick ass hero."

"I can see that," JJ laughed, taking a bite of her salad.

"Maybe without the Army fatigues, though."

"What you talking about, mama? I could rock that Army gear." He flexed his muscles to make the point. "Plus, ladies love a man in uniform."

"I don't know that we could handle all that manliness in uniform," Garcia teased, squeezing his bicep. JJ almost choked on her salad.

"You okay, Jayje?" Morgan turned to her.

She got control of herself and saluted. "Yes, sir!"

Garcia cackled. "OMG! That was brilliant!"

"Alright, mama," Derek diverted the attention in the room. "What about you?"

"I wanted to be like Doc Brown from 'Back To The Future'."

"Seriously?" JJ looked at her funny.

"Oh, absolutely! The man invented a time machine out of a car! How awesome would that be to drive through time whenever you wanted!"

"Dude was crazy, that's for sure," Morgan added.

"Oh hush, you." Garcia nudged him. "I will admit to trying to build my own Flux Capacitor when I was 16."

"And did it take you where you wanted to go?" JJ quirked an eyebrow.

"No, but it did grant me an impromptu visit from a very handsome State Trooper and a speeding ticket."

Morgan buried his head in his hand and laughed. "Let me guess... 88 mph in a 60?"

"Correct you are, Mr. Profiler," she tapped her nose - the universal symbol for a correct guess in the game of Charades.

"That is so something you would do, too," JJ smiled. "You've always been a little crazy, haven't you?"

"Of course!" Garcia smiled brightly and proudly. "So what about you?"

JJ shrugged. "I never had that person I wanted to be like when I was younger, but when I got into college and wanted to be in communications, I wanted to be like C.J. Cregg from 'The West Wing'."

"Really?" Morgan's interest was piqued.

"Yeah. Every time she stepped up to the podium, she just exuded confidence. She was always so calm and collected, like absolutely nothing could phase her in front of the camera. She'd freak out or get angry later, but she would never let the press see her break. I wanted that kind of confidence."

"Honey, you've got that in spades," Garcia winked at her.

"Now, maybe. But when I first started, I was a nervous wreck. I used to watch reruns of her press conferences and try to mimic her in front of a mirror."

It was Morgan's turn to laugh. "I'm trying to get a mental picture of this."

She took one of his french fries and threw it at him. "Shut up, Army boy."

They all laughed and continued their fun, lighthearted lunch. Much too soon it was time to get back to work.

* * *

_02/05/2013_


	37. Day 37: Brothers and Sisters

**A/N: This segment is a post-ep for 8x14 "All That Remains" and contains major spoilers. Consider yourself warned!**

* * *

**365: Day 37**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Brothers and Sisters**

The agents of the BAU were all quiet as their jet flew through the dark night back to Virginia. This case had taken a very unexpected turn and had left them all dazed and confused. None of them had suspected Bruce's oldest daughter as the killer. All signs pointed to Bruce for both his wife's disappearance and his youngest daughter's murder. Of course, that's exactly the way she had set it up. It was baffling!

Hotch watched his team closely, as was customary after a case that hit home for some of them. Blake, Reid, and Rossi were all asleep. Unsurprisingly, Morgan was on the phone with his sisters. Hotch smiled. He admired the close relationship the Morgan siblings had. He could hear Morgan's soft laughter coming from the back of the jet. He often wished he was as close to his brother. But their large age difference often made it difficult. Often times, Hotch felt more like a father to Sean than a brother.

And then there was JJ. She was the one who had unscrambled the puzzle and figured everything out. She had been quiet ever since Sera's arrest and discovering where she'd hidden the trophies from her murders. Hotch knew she was thinking about her sister. She'd mentioned her more tonight than she ever had in the eight years they'd worked together. He watched as she fiddled with the necklace around her neck, the last gift her sister ever gave her, and stared blankly out the window into the darkness. He left his seat to sit in front of her.

"I don't understand, Hotch," she softly said, eyes not leaving the window. He could hear the pain in her voice. "It doesn't make sense. How does a sister do that? Siblings are supposed to protect each other."

"It rarely makes sense, JJ," Hotch said. "The only person it will ever make sense to is Sera."

"Katie trusted her. She had no idea her sister hated her. Sera played her every day and the whole time Katie thought she was protecting her." A single tear fell down her cheek. "I was only 11 when my sister died, but even then I knew how much she loved me. I knew she would protect me." Still holding onto the charm on her necklace, she held it out for him to see. "She's still protecting me."

"Speaking as an older sibling, I can tell you that it can be hard when your life gets turned upside down by a younger sibling. All of a sudden you're having to share the attention, share the affection. But in most of us, something happens when that younger sibling comes home for the first time and you just know that there's nothing in the world you wouldn't do to protect them. An older sibling is a younger sibling's first best friend. I'm a lot older than Sean and we've never been very close, but he knows that I love him. That I'll always love him. And even though I want to throttle him most of the time, he knows I'd protect him with my life."

JJ smiled. "Sean is lucky. Not a day goes by that I don't wish my sister was still here."

"She would be very proud of you."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

She tilted her head to the side, looking at him. "How's that?"

He stood and put his hand on her shoulder. "Because I'm proud of you."

She looked up at him with watery eyes. "Thank you, Hotch."

He squeezed her shoulder and smiled. "Get some rest."

She watched him return to his seat before returning her attention to the window. She kept her hand clenched around the charm on her sister's necklace. "I miss you," she sighed and closed her eyes for the remainder of the late night flight.

* * *

_02/06/2013_


	38. Day 38: A Brother Worries

**A/N: Thanks to you all again for the wonderful reviews! And to one of my guest reviewers from the previous chapter... Jerseybelle - Are you reading my mind?! (You'll see...) LOL! This is a second post-ep to 8x14 "All That Remains".**

* * *

**365: Day 38**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Sean Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**A Brother Worries**

Sean Hotchner was on his way to bed when his phone rang. A feeling of unease fell over him. Late night phone calls were rarely a good thing. He saw his brother's name on the caller ID and answered quickly.

"Aaron?"

"Hey Sean."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. I just..." He hesitated and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I saw something tonight. I just needed to hear my brother's voice. I needed to know you were okay."

"That must have been some case for you to call me at midnight." Sean tried to sound like his usual lighthearted self, but his voice was laced with worry. Aaron could hear it clearly.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You didn't."

"I can hear it in your voice."

"Well, you don't usually call out of the blue. And I may not be a profiler, but I can tell when something has shaken you up. You gonna tell me what's going on?"

Aaron sighed. "Older siblings are supposed to look out for their younger siblings. Not murder them."

"This is what you saw tonight?"

"Yeah. That was our case. Everyone thought the father had killed his daughter, but it was the older sister. That whole 'mommy loved you more than me' bullshit."

Now he had Sean's attention. Aaron rarely used that type of language. Sean knew how heavily this case was sitting with his brother. It had to have been bad for Aaron to call him and be this open and vulnerable. It was not a side of his big brother that he was used to seeing. Well... hearing anyway. It was more than a little unnerving.

"Sometimes I wonder if I've seen too much out there," Aaron sighed. His voice brought Sean out of his thoughts.

"There's no question about that, Aaron. I told you to get out of the office more."

"Right," he chuckled sadly. "Sean, you know that I love you, right? And that I'll always protect you. I know we've never been very close, but I would protect you with my life. You do know that, right?"

"I know," he said softly. "You remember when I told you about wanting to skip Georgetown and come to New York, you told me that a brother worries?"

"I remember." He smiled slightly.

"That doesn't just apply to older brothers. Younger brothers worry too." He paused momentarily to steel himself for what he needed to say. He'd needed to say it for years, but never quite knew how. Aaron could sense his hesitation.

"What is it, Sean?" he nudged.

"I don't think I ever told you this," he began, "but a few years ago when you were attacked, the Bureau sent an agent to my apartment. I panicked when he told me what happened to you. They sent the agent to make sure I wasn't a target too. That was the scariest day of my life, Aaron. And not because I could have been the target of a psychopath. I wasn't afraid of something happening to me. I was absolutely terrified of you dying."

Aaron choked up when he heard Sean sniffle and knew his little brother was on the verge of tears.

"You're the only family I have, Aaron. I know I drive you crazy and we don't see eye to eye on much of anything, but you're the only person in the world who has always stood by me, whether you agreed with me or not. I've always known you were there for me. I need you to keep being there. So just promise me that you're careful out there, okay?"

"I promise, Sean." He heard Sean's sigh of relief. Apparently this was a promise he should have made long ago.

"And I love you, too. Just so you know."

Aaron laughed. "Yeah. I know."

* * *

_02/07/2013_


	39. Day 39: Comfort Food

**A/N: So I'm going to start leaving boxes of tissues at the beginning of each chapter. Apparently, I have a tendency to make people cry! Sorry! *evil grin* I don't think you'll need them for this one, but I'm going to leave them anyway. Just in case. *teehee* Thank you once again to all my amazing reviewers! You all know how to make a girl smile! **

* * *

**365: Day 39**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Comfort Food**

An exhausted team of BAU agents drove in two vehicles towards what had been their home away from home for the last few days. Tonight would be their last night in this quaint little town. They had finally apprehended their Unsub a few hours ago and saved a young lady's life in the process. They were all happy with the outcome - a life saved is as good as it gets - but they were bone tired from the strenuous case. None of them had slept well or eaten much on this trip. The quietness inside both SUV's spoke to how truly tired they all were. Quiet, that is, until Rossi's stomach growled in one SUV and Morgan's stomach growled in the other.

"We should see about something to eat," Rossi said.

"Yeah, someplace with real food," JJ suggested. "I don't think I can handle much more grease."

"Agreed." Hotch replied as he dialed Morgan's cell.

"Hey," he said as Morgan answered and put his phone on speaker. "Want to stop for dinner? We're starving."

"Funny you should mention food," Blake said playfully. "I think Morgan's stomach is trying to eat itself."

"It's going to eat more than that soon, missy" Morgan joked.

"I saw a diner near our hotel," Reid spoke up. "We could try that."

"Sounds good to me," JJ replied.

"Since Reid knows where this place is, we'll follow you," Hotch said.

They hung up and Morgan pulled around Hotch to take the lead. Within a few minutes they were in the diner parking lot. The sign out front promised good southern home cooking. The six of them got out of their SUV's and began to salivate as the delicious smell of fresh baked bread filled their noses. They went into the lobby where they were greeted by a friendly hostess. She ran down the basics of the cafeteria-style diner. Their menu changed daily. On tonight's menu, the agents could choose from five different meats - hamburger steak, chicken and dressing, cajun seasoned catfish, meat loaf, or country ham - and a slew of homemade fresh vegetables. There were several desserts to choose from including banana pudding and chocolate cream pie. Once they had their trays, they could sit wherever they liked and a server would be around to get their drink orders and anything else they needed.

They all felt like they were in heaven as they looked over the options. Morgan and Rossi (and their growling stomachs) went first. Morgan opted for the hamburger steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac & cheese, and a dinner roll. Rossi went for the meat loaf, collard greens, fried okra, and corn bread. They found a large round table and sat, ordering drinks for everyone while the others made their selections. As often as they'd all had dinner together, they knew everyone's drink orders by heart. One by one, the others made their way to the table and they dug in.

JJ took one bite of the broccoli and cheese casserole and nearly melted in her seat. "Ohhhhhh wow. That is so good." Blake, also having the casserole, took a bite and nodded in agreement. "Mmmmm..."

"These mashed potatoes nearly melt in your mouth," Reid said in amazement.

"Good thing too," Hotch agreed, "because I'm so tired I can barely chew."

"Amen," Rossi pointed his fork at Hotch before diving back into his meat loaf. Clearly he was having no trouble in the chewing department. And neither was Morgan, whose plate was now empty.

"Wow," Blake teased. "That was fast."

"Good food doesn't last long around me," he grinned. "Now I could have sworn I saw pie." He glance back toward the cafeteria line and spotted the small glass refrigerated case containing dessert. "Aha! Pie!"

"Chocolate!" JJ, Blake, and Reid all called out simultaneously.

Morgan laughed. "I've only got two hands, people."

Hotch stood from his seat. "I'll help. I want some of that banana pudding."

"Grab me one," Rossi said. "That sounds really good."

They went to the dessert case and pulled out four slices of chocolate creme pie and two bowls of banana pudding. Morgan looked around the diner and noticed something wasn't quite right. They were the only customers.

"Hotch," he spoke softly. "What time does this place close? We're the only ones here."

They both looked around quickly but didn't see the hours posted nearby. They went back to the table as their waitress was refilling their drinks and the manager stopped by to see how they were doing. They were all highly complimentary on how delicious the food was and the friendliness of the staff. The manager smiled brightly. He always loved to hear compliments on the food, but compliments on his staff brought him joy. Most of his staff were high school seniors or college kids looking to make a little extra cash, but they had all become special to him. He and the other senior members of the staff looked out for these kids and were quite proud of the exceptional young men and women they were becoming.

"I couldn't help but notice we are the only ones here," Hotch broached the subject. "What time do you close?"

"Actually," the manager hesitated before answering, "we closed a half hour ago."

They all groaned, feeling terrible for keeping them late.

"I am so sorry. We should have asked when we came in."

"Listen," the manager placed a hand on Hotch's shoulder, the other on Morgan's. "We all know who you are. You did an incredible thing for our community. The young lady you rescued today goes to the same school as Alaina," he nodded to their friendly hostess, who was busy wrapping knives and forks inside cloth napkins for tomorrow. "She was getting ready to count down the register when she saw you in the parking lot and asked if we could stay open for you. You've done so much for our town this week, the least we could do was offer you a decent meal."

"Thank you," Hotch said with sincerity. "We'll try not to keep you too much longer, though."

"Nonsense," the manager said. "Stay as long as you like. This meal is on the house."

"That really isn't necessary," Rossi said, but the manager waved him off.

"Like I said, it's the least we could do. Consider this our way of saying thank you for what you did for us." With that, he left them to finish their dessert.

They all sat quietly for a moment, truly touched by the generosity of the staff of the small diner. Rossi took out his wallet and pulled out a business card. He flipped the card over and wrote "Thank You" on the back, and passed around a pen so they could all sign it. They combined to leave a very generous tip on the table under the card and made their way out.

Just over a week later, the manager received a letter in the mail...

_Mr. Renfrow,_

_Thank you once again for your generosity last Friday night. You have no idea how much that meant to our team, and how badly we all needed that little slice of comfort. Your kindness and the kindness of your staff showed us that there are still good, honest people out there. In our line of work, as you can imagine, it's very easy for us to lose sight of that. Please accept the enclosed as our way of saying thank you. Divide it among the staff and tell them, especially Alaina, that we are forever grateful._

_Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi_

_Behavioral Analysis Unit_

The next morning the manager requested those who were on staff that night to meet him in his office before opening. He read them all the letter and surprised them by handing the hostess, waitress, bus boy, and cook $125 each, to which they all immediately freaked out. The "enclosed" had been a $500 check.

* * *

_02/08/2013_


	40. Day 40: Alarm Clocks

**A/N: Greetings! Hope everyone's weekend is off to a good start. At least, I hope it started better than Morgan's is about to! *mwahahaha* As I've said, I love having fun with Morgan! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 40  
**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T (language)**

* * *

**Alarm Clocks**

_BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!_

A grumble came from under the sheets and a dark hand reached out to slam across the top of the wretched buzzing monster. The hand retreated back under the covers and the form curled in on itself making absolutely no move to get up. The bald head burrowed underneath its pillow and the covers were pulled up tightly. A contented sigh was released.

Ten minutes later...

_BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!_

A loud growl was released from the depths of the covers as once again the dark hand appeared to smash the buzzing monster into silence. The hand once again retreated back under the covers where a series of unintelligible grumblings were being heard. The hand rubbed over the tired face that was now out from under the pillow, eyes still closed. It rubbed the bald head and the slightly scruffy jaw and chin. Finally the eyes opened in tiny squints to look around the room.

The sun was rising, its rays breaking through the slits in the mini blinds that covered the bedroom window. A new day was upon him already.

Something bearing a disheveled resemblance to Derek Morgan finally came out from the warm comfortable sheets and stumbled his way to the bathroom. The cold floor was jarring to his warm feet and he quickened his step. He turned on the hot water, stripped and got into the shower. He stood for a long time letting the hot water pound on the aching muscles of his back and neck. He stretched his tired body as the steam filled his nostrils, warming and waking his body. He washed leisurely, rinsed and turned off the shower. He dried quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist.

He wiped the condensation from the mirror and brushed his teeth. Then he filled the sink with water and coated his face with shaving cream. He made slow even strokes down his face and across his jaw with a disposable razor. He would dip the razor in the water to clean it between each stroke. Once he finished the right side of his face he switched to the left. He made one stroke before looking at himself in the mirror as the realization set it. He shook his head and laughed at himself.

"Son of a bitch."

He finished shaving, cleaned off his face, drained the sink and went back into the bedroom. Instead of going to the closet to dress for the day, he stopped in front of the nightstand that held his alarm clock.

"Stupid clock," he muttered before dropping his towel, not bothering with clothes at all, and climbed back into bed.

It was Saturday. He'd set his alarm on his off day.

"Dumb ass," he muttered to himself as he burrowed back under his covers, pulling them up to his nose. Soon enough he was asleep again.

Clooney watched his master, head cocked to one side, trying to figure out what on earth the crazy human was doing before letting out a huff and flopping back down on his doggie bed. Within minutes, he too was snoring.

* * *

_02/09/2013_


	41. Day 41: Bad Guys Suck

**A/N: Apparently the site was having some technical issues yesterday. Let's hope they're all better today! **

***tissues are here***

* * *

**365: Day 41**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Bad Guys Suck**

"Daddy," the sad, quiet voice of Jack Hotchner called out from his bed.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I don't want you to go."

Nothing could tear Aaron Hotchner's heart in two faster than having to walk away from his son. Usually Jack was very understanding of his father having to leave for a case, but it was always hardest when he had to leave at night. That's when Jack wanted him the most, when he was tired and not trying to be such a big boy like he did during the day. Even at seven years old, he still often crawled into his dad's lap to be close to him at night. Aaron was his security blanket. If daddy was there at bedtime, he knew he was safe.

Unfortunately tonight the team had gotten a call for a really bad case involving an Unsub who was escalating way too fast. Five bodies in only three days. They needed to leave tonight to be at the station first thing in the morning to help put a stop to this as soon as possible.

Aaron couldn't help but choke up a little. He knelt next to Jack's bed and kissed his forehead.

"I wish I didn't have to go, bud," he spoke softly. "You know how much I hate leaving you."

"Why can't the bad guys just stop?"

He smiled at the innocent question. "I wish I knew. It would be a lot nicer if there weren't any bad guys, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah. I don't like bad guys."

"I don't either."

The two watched each other for a few minutes, sad blue eyes gazing up and locking with sad brown ones. Saying goodbye always sucked. Hotch shook his head and stood up.

"Scoot over."

"Huh?"

"Scoot."

Jack did as asked, though his little brow furrowed with confusion, just like his father's. His confusion turned into a big smile when his dad climbed into his tiny bed and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep, okay?"

"Okay."

Aaron kissed the top of Jack's head as his boy curled himself as close to his dad as he could. He laid his head on Aaron's chest and wrapped his arm around his neck. Aaron wrapped him up tight.

"I love you so much, Jack. I want you to do something for me, okay?"

"What?"

"I want you to call me as soon as you wake up. Hearing your voice in the morning always makes me stronger. Kind of like spinach makes Popeye stronger, you know?"

"Only I'm a lot better than spinach. Spinach is gross!"

Aaron laughed. "You're right about that."

"And you're better than Popeye."

"Thanks, bud," he smiled. Seven year old's certainly had an interesting way of putting things into perspective.

He rubbed gentle circles on Jack's back and snuggled him close.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, okay."

He tightened his grip on his little guy. "I promise, buddy. Always."

He held Jack tightly until he felt his breathing even out. He gently disengaged himself from Jack's grip and laid him down, tucking him in tightly. He brushed one more soft kiss to his head and whispered, "I love you," before pulling his bedroom door most of the way closed and walking away.

Bad guys really sucked.

* * *

_02/10/2013_


	42. Day 42: Bad Guys Suck II

**A/N: This is a continuation of the previous chapter, "Day 41: Bad Guys Suck".**

***box of tissues***

* * *

**365: Day 42**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau, David Rossi**

**Rated: K+**

* * *

**Bad Guys Suck: Part II**

At 11:45pm the team met at the air strip and boarded the Gulf Stream jet that would take them to Oklahoma. As the jet reached it's cruising altitude, they grouped together to discuss what they knew of the case. It wasn't much. Instead of continuing to beat around the seemingly non-existent bush, most of them opted for a few hours sleep.

Hotch sat across from Rossi. Normally he would be looking through the case file trying to gain as much information on the case as possible, squeezing every tiny detail for everything he could get. Tonight, however, his attention was elsewhere. His head rested against the seat as he stared out the window into the dark night. He looked sad, distant. Rossi noticed.

"Hotch," he tried to get his attention. Either he hadn't heard him or he was too lost in thought.

"Aaron," he tried a little louder. That got him. He turned his sad eyes to Rossi. "What's the matter?"

Hotch shook his head. "I miss my son. He asked me not to leave tonight." He sighed deeply. "It's getting harder and harder to say goodbye to him."

JJ walked up in time to hear that last part. "I know what you mean," she said as she took the seat next to Hotch, setting her coffee mug on the table between them and Rossi. "I'm glad Henry was asleep already when we got the call. Lately he's started crying when I have to leave him. It tears me apart every time."

"I certainly don't envy either of you," he shook his head.

"I just keep telling myself that I do this job to keep him safe," Hotch said. "And he knows that. Usually he understands. He likes that dad is a hero to a lot of people. But sometimes he doesn't want the hero. Sometimes he just wants his dad. Tonight he wanted his dad."

"What did you do?"

"I laid with him until he fell asleep. You know," he hesitated, "I'm still not sure how much he really remembers about Haley's death, but there are some nights like tonight that he gets really clingy. I think he's remembering her and just needs to feel safe. I feel like a terrible father when I have to leave him like that."

JJ put her hand on his arm. "You're not a terrible father, Hotch."

"He understands why you have to go, Aaron."

"Yeah." He shook his head. "He made me promise to be careful."

Rossi smiled and JJ chuckled. "That's one promise we can all help you keep."

* * *

_02/11/2013_


	43. Day 43: Secret Loves

**A/N: Thanks again to all of you for the favorites, alerts, and especially the reviews and PM's. We're moving right along!**

**This one is for CursedLyfe, who requested more Rossi. Here you go! I hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 43**

**Characters: David Rossi, team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Secret Loves**

Rossi, Hotch, and JJ were driving through the center of town towards their hotel, followed by Morgan, Reid, and Blake, when Hotch spotted it.

"We've got to stop for a sec."

"What's up, Hotch?"

"I've got to get Beth a Valentine's card. I don't have her anything yet."

Rossi shook his head. "It's two days before Valentine's Day and you don't have anything for your lady love? I thought I taught you better than that."

"Well, in my defense, we've been a little busy lately."

"Excuses, excuses."

"Actually," JJ piped up, "I need to get something for Will and Henry, too."

Rossi turned his incredulous look to her. "Clearly, someone needs to school the two of you on the love holidays."

JJ laughed and her eyebrows shot up. "This from the thrice divorced Agent Rossi?"

"While that is true, not one of my former wives can ever say I skimped on Valentine's Day. I can promise you that."

They all laughed while Hotch pulled the SUV to the curb. Morgan pulled the second SUV behind him and Reid rolled down the passenger side window as Hotch approached.

"We'll just be a minute."

"Shopping two days before Valentine's Day, Hotch? Sad, man."

"At least I've got somebody to shop for," Hotch winked before turning.

"OH! The player just got played!" JJ laughed from Hotch's side. "And by Hotch, no less! I've got to tell Garcia!" She was already dialing as she turned to enter the store.

"I do believe that's what they call 'getting burned'," Reid surmised as Blake laughed herself silly in the back seat.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

* * *

As Hotch browsed through cards for his girlfriend and JJ for her husband and son, David Rossi browsed a section of cards labeled "Someone Special". He found an elegant card that spoke to his Italian heart and knew it would speak to hers as well. There was a black piano on the front, a red long-stemmed rose resting on the keys, two glasses on champagne sitting on top of the ebony lid. The phrase _"Il Mio Amore"_ was scripted in white beneath the glasses. On the inside was a very simple "Happy Valentine's Day" scribed in black on a red background. It was so simplistic yet spoke volumes for him and was very fitting of their relationship. He saw Hotch and JJ head for the checkout line and followed carrying the card and it's red envelope.

"What's this?" JJ noticed the card in his hand. Hotch turned and saw the card as well.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with."

"After the crap you gave me when you found out about Beth... not hardly," Hotch crossed his arms over his chest. "Spill it, old man."

"Sorry guys. This one is just for me."

JJ looked at Hotch. "I bet it's for Strauss," she joked, trying to push Rossi's buttons.

He cringed. "Did not need that visual."

Rossi laughed at them both. Hotch was rubbing his eyes trying to make the image of Rossi and Strauss go away. JJ was waggling her eyebrows at him. "He hasn't denied it. I bet I'm right."

"I'm glad you don't have money on that bet, JJ," Rossi said as he paid for the card. "It's not Strauss."

"Oh, come on, Rossi! Give it up!" She was begging as the three of them left the store.

"Sorry, babe. Not this time."

* * *

Morgan, Reid, and Blake watched as the animated trio exited the store and returned to their vehicle.

"I wonder what that's all about," Reid mentioned.

"Hotch looks a little grossed out," Blake noticed.

"If it's enough to gross out Hotch, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know about it," Morgan said as he put their SUV in drive and pulled away from the store.

* * *

_02/12/2013_

*"Il Mio Amore" is Italian for "My Love". I'll let you all use your imaginations on this one. *mwahahaha*


	44. Day 44: If The Shoe Fits

**A/N: I blame everything about this story on the amazingly talented, and equally twisted, Ahmose Inarus! This is all her fault! This is for you dear! *hugs and purrs and snuggles and all that stuff***

* * *

**365: Day 44**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Emily Prentiss, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**If The Shoe Fits**

"Hey Reid!" Emily Prentiss answered her phone excitedly. She hadn't spoken to her favorite genius in far too long. "How are you?"

"Emily, you're friends are out of control!"

"My friends?"

"JJ and Garcia! They're insane!"

Emily couldn't help but laugh at the distraught sounds coming from the other end of the phone. Reid sounded like a prepubescent teenager when got overly excited or aggravated. His voice squeaked and cracked and went up an octave. "We already know they're insane."

"I'm serious! You won't believe what they did to me!"...

* * *

"Reid," Hotch pulled him to the side. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"Of course."

"Okay. We'll be in your ear the whole time, and Rossi and Morgan will be inside the store as well."

"What about JJ and Blake?"

"They're staying in the van with Garcia. I'm not allowing them anywhere near a shoe store."

"A wise decision," Reid nodded his agreement. Those women were never to be trusted around new shoes. Ever.

And so they all prepped for Reid's undercover afternoon as a shoe salesman in a popular department store. The need for this was brought on by an Unsub with a disturbing foot fetish. The department store was the only connection among his victims. It was the last place any of them were seen. This was his hunting ground. They surveyed the scene over two days and decided they needed to get someone on the inside. All of the ladies were out. They all looked way too excited about the prospect of spending the day amongst shoes. Reid could have sworn he saw drool on the edge of JJ's lip during their first sweep of the store. Rossi never would have fit in with the staff. Morgan would stick out like a sore thumb. And Hotch was running point. But Reid would fit in perfectly. He was non-threatening, which would put customers at ease and wouldn't tip off their Unsub. And he was roughly the same age as most of the staff, so he wouldn't stick out.

They met with the store manager and department manager the previous evening after store hours to go over the details and get Reid acquainted with the department. It took him all of five minutes to commit the layout of the sales floor and stockroom to memory. They went over a few procedures so he would be able to function as a sales associate as convincingly as possible. Hotch met with the security staff to inform them that armed agents would be placed within the store for the duration of the operation, and to get Garcia access to their security camera feeds.

The next morning, Sales Associate Spencer Reid began his first day. He wore his glasses which held a tiny surveillance camera. Almost immediately, JJ and Garcia turned into drooling shoe fiends.

"Ohhhh... I LOVE that shoe! Reid! How much is it? Turn your head so your glasses-cam shows the price tag!"

"Spence! Look up and to your left! Ohhh... walk that way... I want a closer look at that boot! Ooh! And it's on clearance!"

Garcia suddenly gasped loudly. "Be still my shoe loving heart! That platform wedge is six different colors!"

Hotch shook his head. "Ladies! Can we focus please? We're here to catch a killer, not go shopping. Reid is not your personal shoe assistant."

A chorus of "Sorry, sir," filled the van. They could hear Reid chuckling.

* * *

Emily was laughing hysterically. "That sounds exactly like JJ and Garcia!"

"Apparently Blake is just as bad."

"Oh geez!"

"Then I got my first customer. I swear, I think Morgan set me up!"

"What happened?" She was still chuckling.

"It was this very sweet little old lady who for some reason felt compelled to tell me all about her bunions and her ingrown toenail. And then she felt she needed to SHOW me! I swear, Emily, I could have gone my whole life without seeing that lady's feet!"

"Oh my God!" She was outright laughing again. "What did you do?"

"The only thing I could do! I helped her out, found her some shoes. Then she told me how cute I was and pinched my cheeks. She really pinched my cheeks! I didn't know people still did that! I swear, Morgan had to have something to do with that. I bet he paid that sweet old lady to mess with me."

"That does sound like something Morgan would do, but you think he'd do that during an undercover operation?"

He sighed in defeat. "No."

"She probably thought you were the cutest, nicest salesman she's seen in a while. Probably reminded her of her grandson or something."

"Yeah, well, I never want to do that again. You women are insane about your shoes!"

"That we are," she chuckled happily. "Well, congratulations on your first successful undercover assignment. They're fun, aren't they?"

"No. Most definitely not fun!"

"I'm glad you called. I needed some fun tonight. I sure do miss you, Dr. Reid."

"I miss you too, Em. But I'm glad you weren't there for this one. You would have had me shopping for you too!"

"You got that right! Never come between a woman and a shoe sale!"

* * *

_02/13/2013_


	45. Day 45: Wish You Were Here

**A/N: Thanks again, peeps! For everything!**

* * *

**365: Day 45**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Wish You Were Here**

Her phone rang just after 8:00 pm Eastern Time. The theme song to "Secret Agent Man" told her who was calling. Smiling, she answered.

"Hi Aaron."

"Hi."

"I was just thinking about you."

"Were you, now?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"I hope they were good thoughts."

She giggled at his playful tone. "They always are where you're concerned."

He chuckled and sighed. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

"I had something special planned for you, but serial killers don't seem to pay attention to little things like the anniversary of our first date."

"That was a wonderful night." He could hear her smile in her words.

"It was," he smiled at the memory of bringing her flowers, of her kissing him on the front steps outside her apartment, of an evening spent at the theatre and dining at a nice restaurant, and of him kissing her at the end of the night. "I don't think I ever thanked you for stopping me in the park that morning. You turned my world around, you know?"

"Well, you looked so cute in your little running shorts that I just had to stop and say hi." She could hear his shy laughter and knew he was blushing. She just loved flustering him!

"The pigtails were a nice touch," he countered, causing her to laugh in return.

"I wish you were here."

"Me, too."

Unfortunately, a knock at the door interrupted their light-hearted banter. Hotch looked up to see Rossi signaling that they had something.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. I think Dave's got a lead."

"I understand. Please be safe out there."

"I will be. I'll call you when I can."

"Okay. Happy Valentine's Day, Aaron."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Beth. I love you."

"I love you, too."

They ended their call and Hotch rejoined the team.

"What have we got?"

* * *

_02/14/2013_


	46. Day 46: Home Sweet Home

**A/N: One of my faithful reviewers requested some Garcia. I'm still not entirely comfortable writing her on her own in a stand alone piece. She and Reid are the two hardest characters for me to write. This isn't entirely a Garcia piece, but she plays a big role in this one. Only Garcia could cheer up the team on their way home from a tough case. So, AlexandriaZ, I hope you like this one!**

* * *

**365: Day 46**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Home Sweet Home**

"I've never been so glad to see this jet," JJ said as she flopped unceremoniously into one of the seats.

"I didn't think this case was ever going to end," Morgan responded, flopping across from her.

"Man, I'm tired," Blake echoed their sentiments, taking the seat next to JJ.

"This has been of our longest cases in recent memory," Reid took the seat next to Morgan. "Eighteen days, sixteen hours, forty-two minutes."

"No wonder I'm homesick," Rossi added, buckling his seat belt.

Hotch entered the cabin from checking in with their pilot, ensuring him they were ready to go. "We're cleared for takeoff. Two more hours and we'll be home."

Small cheers echoed through the cabin. Soon they were taking off for home. Once they were airborne and flying at their cruising altitude, Morgan pulled out his laptop and connected to their resident goddess of good cheer.

"Knock, knock, mama."

"Ah, my favorite crime fighters!" Her joyous face filled the screen. "How are my lovelies?"

"Much better now, baby girl. We're heading home."

"Oh thank goodness! I don't have to tell you it's been quite lonely around here. I miss your playfulness." One by one she pointed in general direction of each of them, "and your sarcastic wit, and your never ending stream of statistics, and your cool demeanor, and your Italian-ness, and even your glare, sir." They all chuckled. "I need my babies home!"

"We missed you too, Garcia," JJ smiled at her. "It's way too gloomy out here without you."

"Ugh! You know how I feel about gloom! It's just so... ICK!"

They were outright laughing now.

"Well, you have definitely brightened our evening, Kitten."

"Aw!" She fanned herself dramatically. "Be still my not-so-Italian heart."

"You are too much, baby girl."

"You're just saying that 'cause it's true."

"Yes, ma'am."

"While I have your rapt attention, I have a message for the parents on board." Hotch and JJ moved closer to the screen. "Kevin and I met up with Will and Jessica and the boys yesterday afternoon for pizza. Kevin drew these for them and my two favorite mini G-men colored these for you and I promised to show them off." Garcia held up two hand drawn colored pictures. "Taa-daaa!"

Both pictures were of the team as super heroes. Kevin was a very talented artist. One picture had Super-Hotch front and center with a mini Captain America by his side. The other had Wonder Woman JJ up front with a little blond-headed Flash holding her hand. They all laughed at their super hero alter egos.

"Those are good. Really good. Kevin's got some real talent," Blake complimented. "And of course the two artists who colored them really bring them to life."

"Thank you, Garcia," Hotch smiled.

"My pleasure, sir. They're missing their heroes as much as I am."

"Hey mama, we'll be landing in about an hour. Think you can get us in somewhere for a late dinner? We could use some good food and good company."

"Consider it done, my love. Reservations for seven will be awaiting your arrival."

"Make it for twelve."

"Twelve, sir?"

"Yeah, the seven of us, plus Jess and Jack, Will and Henry, and Kevin. I think we're all needing our whole family right now."

"I'll drink to that," Rossi stated.

"Here, here," Reid concurred.

"Twelve it is, sir."

"Thank you."

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Rossi sent Garcia a text. _"I'm buying. Set us up someplace good."_

_"You got it,"_ she secretly texted back, complete with smiley face.

"We'll see you soon," Morgan blew her a kiss and disconnected.

Soon enough they would be home.

Home sweet home.

* * *

_02/15/2013_


	47. Day 47: A Mardi Gras Homecoming

**A/N: A few people asked me if I was going to incorporate Mardi Gras into the story, considering Will's Cajun roots. I said yes, but I'm going to do it a bit differently. Since JJ couldn't make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (darn serial killers!) and Will didn't want to go without her, I give you Mardi Gras - Jareau-LaMontagne style! Hope you enjoy!**

**This one is dedicated to Sand 'n Sable - my go-to source for all things Mardi Gras! I hope you like it! And thanks for everything!**

* * *

**365: Day 47**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A Mardi Gras Homecoming**

Jennifer Jareau was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The case had been draining, moreso than usual as there were children involved. Why did these monsters always go after children? No matter how many profiling classes she took or how many lectures she sat in on, or how many discussions she had with Hotch and Rossi, she just couldn't understand it. She would never understand it.

And to make matters worse, she had missed out on what was sure to be an exciting, fun-filled family weekend with Will and Henry. Mardi Gras. Born and raised in New Orleans, Will was always excited about Mardi Gras. And now that Henry was a little older he wanted to take them both to New Orleans to experience all the magnificence of the incredible time - the food, the music, the non-stop party, the joy. But of course, once again, the job prevented that from happening. She couldn't help but feel guilty because Will had been looking so forward to it, but he didn't want to go without her. He wanted it to be a family experience. So he and Henry had stayed home instead of making the trip.

At a little past six in the evening, Will spotted JJ pulling her car into the driveway.

"Mama's home, Henry," he nodded to his son. "You ready?"

"Yeah!" The Lamontagne men had a plan. Henry ran to the CD player and pushed the play button, then ran into the living room to greet his mom.

JJ could hear the music from the front porch. She paused, key in hand, trying to make out what she was hearing. Was that... accordions? Curiosity got the better of her and she opened the front door. The site made her freeze in her tracks. Zydeco music was blaring from the stereo, with its eclectic mix of accordions, fiddles, washboards and drums giving off a wonderful rhythm that made you want to get up and dance. There were gold, green, and purple decorations all over the living room - beads, masks, centerpieces. And there was a bouncing Henry clad in his little gold eye mask with purple and green beads hanging from his neck.

"Hi Mama!"

"Hey Henry!" she smiled big and swung him into her arms. "What is all this?"

"It's a welcome home 'prise for you! Do you like it?"

"I love it!" She looked up to see Will smiling from the kitchen doorway, dish towel slung over his shoulder.

"Since we couldn't make it to Mardi Gras, we decided to bring Mardi Gras to you," he said as he walked forward and kissed his wife. "Welcome home."

"This is incredible," she looked around again at the decorated townhouse. There were purple and green streamers draped in every doorway and beads hanging from every hangable spot. There were gold candlesticks in the candle holders on the wall. Beautiful decorative masks were hanging on the walls or sitting atop the various furnishings - all up high so Henry couldn't break them. She pointed to one, a white mask painted very intricately with green feathering around one eye, outlined in gold glitter, and purple streaks fading out from around the other eye, each streak lined with interspersed dots of gold glitter, and red painted lips. "I recognize that one."

"That was my grandma's," Will said. "She gave that to me when I turned 18. My grandpa made it for her. It was always my favorite of her collection." JJ rubbed his arm at the heartfelt memory. Then something else caught her attention... or rather, caught the attention of her nose.

"Something smells delicious."

"That would be dinner. Right this way," he bowed and extended his arm toward the kitchen. She put Henry down and let him lead the way. On the stove was a large pot of Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya. Beside it in a smaller pot was Crawfish Etouffee (her personal favorite of Will's cajun/creole cooking.) Already on the table were Boudin Balls with a Remoulade Sauce (which Henry was already enjoying), and the ever-famous purple, gold, and green frosted King Cake.

JJ was floored. Will had gone to a lot of trouble to make this a very special night. She looked up at him, eyes glistening.

"I can't believe you did all this."

"Well, you know how much Mardi Gras means to me. I wanted to share it with you and Henry. Maybe next year we can make it to New Orleans, but this is the next best thing." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her again. "Good food, good music, and you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "Thank you."

"Let's eat!" Henry called from the table. "I'm hungry!"

"Looks like you've already gotten started, little man," she joked and ruffled his hair as he munched on another Boudin Ball.

And so their evening was spent filled with delicious food and lots of laughter. After dinner there was dancing in the living room. She twirled her son around and around while he squealed with delight. Will draped beads around her neck and presented her with a purple eye mask while he wore a green one. They both snapped several pictures with their cell phones. As the Zydeco music played on, JJ found herself happier than she'd been in a while. She knew they were creating a memory none of them would ever forget, and starting what was sure to become a new family tradition - Mardi Gras in Virginia.

She looked into her husband's eyes and smiled.

* * *

_02/16/2013_

* * *

**A/N2: I've never tried any of the foods above, but you should Google search their recipes. This stuff sounds delicious!_  
_**


	48. Day 48: Better Late Than Never

**A/N: Good morning, peeps! At least it's morning on my corner of the planet. Hope you are all well. This is a bit of a continuation of Day 43: "Secret Loves". I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 48**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons. David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Better Late Than Never**

At 10:00 am, Aaron Hotchner exited the taxi on 82nd Street and 5th Avenue in front of the New York Metropolitan Museum, bouquet of red roses in one hand, card in the other, and made his way up the front staircase. He walked up to the information desk where he was greeted by a pleasant young woman.

"Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. How may I help you, sir?"

"I'm looking for one of your curators. Beth Clemmons."

"Beth is in our Modern and Contemporary Art Department. Is she expecting you, sir?"

"No, she isn't."

The receptionist smiled. "You must be Aaron."

"I am."

"She talks about you a lot. I'm Amanda," she shook his hand. "Let me just check and see if she's in her office."

She picked up the phone and dialed an extension. "Hey Beth, I'm glad I caught you. I have a delivery for you... No, I'll bring it to you. I need to get out from behind this desk for a few minutes anyway... Yeah. See you in a sec."

She hung up the phone and turned to one of the other staff members behind the desk. "Hey Jamie, can you cover for me for a few minutes? I need to make a delivery."

He turned and saw the man with the flowers and grinned. "Sure thing."

"Thanks," she got up and came around the desk. "Right this way."

Aaron followed her through the maze of galleries to the far left corner of the first floor mezzanine. They walked through the Modern and Contemporary Art gallery, all the way to the back where Amanda knocked on a door tucked out of site. She waited for the "Come in," before opening the door.

"This arrived for you a few minutes ago," she opened the door wider and let Aaron step through.

Beth looked up from her work and froze. Her eyes went wide and a smile the size of the museum spread across her face. "Aaron!"

"Good morning."

She leaped up from her desk and ran into his arms. "I can't believe you're here! What are you doing here?"

He giggled at her enthusiasm. "We got back late last night and Strauss gave us the day off."

She hugged him tighter. "Wow. You're really here!"

Amanda, still watching from the doorway, cleared her throat. "Why don't you take an early lunch. Get out of here for a little while. I'll tell everyone that you're unavailable for the day."

"Thank you, Amanda," she leaned around Aaron to look at her.

"Anytime," she smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Aaron."

"You too. Thank you."

She closed the door behind her on her way out. Beth looked back at Aaron and giggled, blushing slightly. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Hi."

"Hi."

"These are for you," he handed her the roses. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"They're beautiful," she took them and inhaled their scent. "They smell so good." She found a vase on a shelf and filled it with water from the small sink in the corner. She unwrapped the roses, placed them in the vase and sat the vase on the center of her desk. "Perfect."

"I wish I could have been here on Thursday. I really wanted to spend Valentine's Day with you."

She walked up to him and placed her hands on his chest, her right hand over his heart. "You're here now. That's what matters."

"Better late than never, right?"

"Right," she chuckled.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to capture her lips in a gentle kiss. "I've missed you."

"Me too. How long are you here?"

"Just for the afternoon. I'm in meetings all day tomorrow. I just came to take you to lunch."

She raised her eyebrows at him, grinning like a giddy little girl. "You took a two hour train ride to take me to lunch?"

He shrugged. "You're worth it."

She giggled. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Once or twice, but feel free to tell me again anytime."

"I love you, Aaron Hotchner."

"I love you, too," he smiled.

"Come on," she picked up her purse. "Let's get out of here."

They left through the back entrance and strolled arm in arm through Central Park, enjoying the crisp early afternoon breeze and the beautiful scenery. They stopped at an Italian cafe for an early lunch of pasta and salad with red wine. While they ate he told her a little about their last case. Not in very much detail, but enough for her to realize how badly he needed to get away. She told him about her latest work with the museum and how well the new exhibits were fairing with their patrons. After he paid the check, they put their coats back on and walked some more.

"What time does your train leave?"

"At 5:00. I need to be back at the station by 4:30."

She looked at her watch. "So I have you for another four hours."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Good," she smiled wickedly and winked at him.

He hadn't realized they were standing in front of an apartment building until she pulled our her keys. As they entered the building, she took his hand and led him up the stairs and down a corridor to her third floor apartment. She opened the door and he followed her into a small but luxurious one bedroom suite.

"This is nice. You've got a great view," he looked out the window overlooking the park.

"It's great for watching sunsets," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. "But right now I'm so not interested in sunsets."

He turned in her arms to face her and they kissed passionately. She took his hand and led him to her bedroom where they spent the next two hours wrapped in each others arms making love, cuddling close, and making love again.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Virginia...

David Rossi parked his car along the curb. He carried his card along with two long-stemmed roses and a small heart shaped box of candy across the lush grass to where his love lay. He knelt beside her grave stone and laid one rose around her name. He placed the box of candy and the second rose around the name on the stone beside hers. He dusted away a few stray leaves from each one before placing the card next to her rose.

"Good morning, Carolyn," he spoke softly. "I'm sorry I haven't been here in a while. The job has kept me pretty busy, but you already know that." He sighed.

"I came to a realization a few days ago. I think you've ruined me for other women. They just don't compare to you. I realize now that's why my other two marriages failed. I kept trying to compare them to you and they never matched up. It's like they say, there's never anyone quite like your first true love. I miss you, my dear."

He stood and brushed away a stray tear. "I know I'm a few days late, but Happy Valentine's Day." He kissed his fingertips and laid his hand on her gravestone. "Hai ancora il mio cuore, il mio amore." He kissed his fingertips again and laid his hand on the other stone. "You too, son."

He looked at their stones for another moment, saying a silent prayer, before returning to his car and driving away.

* * *

_02/17/2013_

**A/N2: One person guessed correctly as to whom Dave's Valentine card would be going. Nice guess, Sdia75! **

***tissue box is here***

**_"Hai ancora il mio cuore, il mio amore" _****is Italian for "You have my heart, my love".**


	49. Day 49: A Friend In Need

***tissue box here* Yeah... again. I know. I'm an angst/drama lover, what can I say! Thank you all again for all your support.**

* * *

**365: Day 49**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, mentions of James Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A Friend In Need**

After discussing the particulars of their new case the team scattered throughout the jet to get some rest during their cross country flight. Morgan put on his headphones. JJ checked in with Will and Henry before pulling out a book. Blake and Reid set up a travel sized chess board. Hotch took a seat in the back and pulled out a few files to complete the final paperwork on recently solves cases. Rossi took the seat across from him.

"So how was New York?"

The smile spread across Hotch's face almost instantly. "It was nice."

"Nice?" Rossi raised his eyebrows. "That smile says more than nice."

He chuckled and put down his pen. "It was really nice."

"I bet."

"Gentlemen do not kiss and tell, Dave."

"That statement tells me all I need to know. I'm going to live vicariously through you for a little while."

"You're incorrigible."

"So I've been told."

The two old friends shared a good laugh. Rossi was more than glad to see his friend's happiness. Hotch deserved it. The man had been through enough hardships and heartaches.

Hotch looked down at the table between them. He needed to broach a serious subject with his friend. He'd barely slept last night thinking about it.

"Dave."

"Hm?"

"When I got back from New York, Jack and I took flowers to Haley. I... um..."

His uncharacteristic hesitation caught Rossi's attention, signifying that this was an important, but possibly an uncomfortable conversation. "What is it, Hotch?"

Hotch swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. "We walked over to leave a flower for Carolyn. I noticed you'd already been there."

Dave closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You know."

"I know," Hotch nodded sadly. "I'm so sorry, Dave."

When the team had all come to Carolyn's burial, the ground around her burial plot had been covered, including James' grave marker. They never saw it. He never mentioned it. None of them ever knew about his son. Until now. Dave closed his eyes tight, fighting away tears he didn't want to shed here. He could shed them later. Privately.

"I wasn't sure if I should bring it up or not," Hotch continued. "I didn't mean to upset you, Dave, but I thought you should know that I know."

Dave nodded. "I've never talked about him with anyone other than Carolyn."

"I understand. Just know that if you ever do want to talk, I'm here."

"Someday. Maybe."

Hotch nodded. He got up, partly to get he and Dave some coffee, but mostly to give Dave a moment to himself the only way he could in such an enclosed space. He stopped next to him and rested his hand on Dave's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Dave reached up and covered his hand with his own. He looked up with watery eyes.

"Thank you, Aaron."

Hotch offered him a small smile before walking away. Dave rested his head back against the seat. He was surprised at the relief he felt that someone else knew about James. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He smiled at the only memory of his son that he had.

Maybe talking about James wasn't such a bad idea.

Maybe he would take Aaron up on his offer.

Someday.

* * *

_02/18/2013_


	50. Day 50: We Need A Vacation

**A/N: FIFTY DAYS IN A ROW! WOOOOO! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You are the reason we've made it this far. Thank you so much for all the encouragement and support.**

* * *

**365: Day 50**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**We Need A Vacation**

Derek Morgan groaned out loud. "This paperwork is multiplying like rabbits."

"I know the feeling," Reid stated, knowing that a few extra files had been slipped into his stack.

"Oh my God, this day is never going to end," JJ groaned louder than Morgan, flopping her head down on her own stack.

"Coffee," Blake sounded like a zombie. "Must. Have. Coffee."

Hotch and Rossi came down from their offices to join them.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted," Dave commented.

"I can't believe it's only Tuesday," Hotch sighed. "I feel like we haven't stopped in weeks."

"That's because we haven't," Morgan said.

Back to back to back major cases with barely two days off between them had them all running on fumes. And the case files that needed completing kept growing. To say they were all drowning in a sea of paper would be an understatement.

"I need a vacation," JJ said.

"I think we all do," Rossi replied.

"I should talk to Strauss about some time off," Hotch said. We're all going to burn out at this rate."

"Must. Have. Coffee." Blake mumbled again. They all giggled.

"And you guys thought I was bad," Reid chuckled.

Garcia walked up to them and pulled up a chair next to Morgan's. "I need to get out. See daylight. Sunshine. I miss sunshine."

"Sunshine, sandy beach, crystal blue water. Yeah," JJ daydreamed out loud, "I need that."

"Let's all get out of here for a little while," Rossi said, rising from his seat. "Come on. Let's hit the diner across the street. Lunch is on me."

They all began to rise.

"Is there coffee?"

Rossi laughed out loud, helping Blake to her feet. "Yes, Alex. There will be coffee."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "My hero."

The others laughed along with him.

"What's the deal with the coffee?" Hotch whispered to Reid.

"We ran out this morning. Apparently today's deliveries haven't arrived yet."

He shook his head. "We definitely need a vacation."

While they all made their way out of the BAU, Hotch pulled out his cell phone.

"Chief Strauss, do you have a few minutes free this afternoon when we could meet? ...Two o'clock would be great. Thank you."

* * *

_02/19/2013_


	51. Day 51: Chili Night

**A/N: Over 600 reviews! You guys are the nicest, sweetest, most awesomest reviewers EVER! Just so you know. :D Thank you all so much for everything. You are wonderful! As a tribute to you all, lets have some fun with the Hotchners!**

* * *

**365: Day 51**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Jessica Brooks  
**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Chili Night**

"Dad! We're home!" Jack Hotchner's voice called out as his aunt disarmed the alarm system.

"In the kitchen, buddy!"

Hotch stood over the stove stirring a big pot. Jack came running and dropped his backpack beside the kitchen table. Hotch put the lid back on the pot and turned around to get his super-sized hug from his son.

"How was school?"

"It was awesome! In science class, Mrs. Wright blew up balloons with a funnel!"

"A funnel?" Hotch looked perplexed as he turned to stir the pot once more.

"Yeah! It was great! She put the end of a balloon around a funnel, then poured in some sugar and... uh..." He scrunched his forehead trying to think of the other ingredient.

"Yeast," his aunt reminded him from the doorway.

"Oh yeah! Yeast! And then some water, and then she tied the balloon closed and measured it, and then we waited, and we didn't think it was working because nothing was happening, but she kept telling us to be patient..."

"Jack, take a breath," Hotch reminded his son, all the while laughing at his obvious excitement. Jessica laughed as well. She's already heard this story once and he was still just as excited to tell it as he was three hours ago when she picked him up from school.

"So we waited some more and then she measured it again and it grew! All by itself! And then a few minutes later she measured it again and it was even bigger!"

"That is awesome!" Hotch played up his enthusiasm to match Jack's. Jack was beaming! He loved to see his boy smile like that, especially when talking about school.

"It was just like Uncle Spence's magic film canister!"

"Magic film canister?" Jessica looked at Hotch.

"It's his Physics Magic trick," Hotch answered.

"Yeah! He turns film canisters into rockets! And they shoot off the table!"

"That sounds pretty impressive," she grinned at her nephew.

"It's so cool!"

"Jack, dinner is almost ready. Go wash up."

"Okay," he ran down the hallway. Hotch shook his head and laughed. That kid was a ball of energy. He wished he could bottle some of it and sell it. He'd be rich!

"Something smells delicious," Jessica came fully into the kitchen.

"It's chili night."

Her eyes widened. "You mean you actually get him to eat something besides Mac & Cheese?" she asked with surprise.

"On rare occasions, yes. He is finally starting to branch out. Thank goodness."

"Getting a little burned out on the blue box?" she chuckled.

"If it's not mac & cheese it's chicken fingers. Or spaghetti."

"So how did you get him to try chili?"

"Begging." She looked at him with disbelief. "I admit it. Got on my knees and begged and pleaded until he gave in."

"Wow. Aaron. Begging a seven-year-old. Really?"

"I was desperate!"

She laughed heartily. He hung his head in defeat. He went to the cabinet and pulled out three bowls and filled them with chili as Jack made his grand reappearance and helped set the table. While they ate Jack regaled them with more tales of the awesomeness that is First Grade. After they ate and cleared the table, Aaron and Jack escorted Jessica to the door.

"Oh, Aaron," she said while putting on her coat. "The next time you get desperate, try beef stew. He ate that up for me when you were out of town."

"Beef stew?" he looked down at Jack, who grinned mischievously. "You've been holding out on me," he grabbed him and started tickling him. Jack squealed and ran. Jessica laughed.

"Have a good night, you two."

"Be careful."

"I will."

He closed the door behind her and went in search of his mini-me. He found him hiding behind the couch and commenced tickling him again, now the both of them rolling around on the floor.

And thus concluded another chili night with the Hotchners.

* * *

_02/20/2013_


	52. Day 52: Conditions of Love

**A/N: What an awesome episode last night! Kudos to Rick Dunkle for writing such a powerful script. This installment of "365" is a post-ep to 8x15 "Broken". There will be spoilers. This is a very short piece but I hope it strikes a chord with you.**

* * *

**365: Day 52**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Conditions of Love  
**

"Are you okay?" Blake asked as she took the seat next to JJ, setting a mug of hot tea in front of her. While the team had gone to arrest Paul Westin at his father's home, JJ and Blake had gone to the conversion camp. They took great pleasure in bringing down the camp and bringing those who ran it into custody. But opening that padlocked door... those images would haunt them both for a while. JJ had been very quiet ever since they returned to the police station.

"I don't understand," JJ's voice was little more than a whisper as she continued to look out the window of their makeshift conference room. Her emotions were a tangled mess. She was both vehemently angry and devastatingly sad. Every time she thought about what Paul Westin had been through, what all the boys at the camp had been through, she wanted to cry.

"I don't understand how a parent can give consent for their child to be tortured. Beaten. Drugged. I'll never understand how a parent can stand by and watch as their child is raped. Hell, John Westin even encouraged it! And all because his child was gay. I don't understand how any sane parent thinks they can punish their child into being straight. It makes me so angry when I think about everything that Paul Westin and Doug Warn, and so many others endured. I see red when I think about what was done to them. How can any parent condone that?"

Blake couldn't say anything. There was nothing to say. She had asked herself those same questions over and over again since Paul Westin's arrest. It was no wonder the man had become a killer. He had been physically and emotionally broken by every person who should have cared for him and protected him. They were the ones who condoned his abuse. They had ingrained into his psyche that his idea of love was wrong, evil, dirty. He'd tried to please them, tried to love in the way they expected, the way they demanded. And when it failed, all he could hear was his father telling him how disgusting he was, what a failure he was as a man. The only way to make it stop was to kill.

"When I look at Henry," JJ continued after a long moment of silence, "all I can think of is how fiercely I would protect him against anyone or anything. I want him to always know that I will always love him. I will always stand beside him. I want him to love and be loved, and I want him to know that love doesn't have to only come in one form. I don't understand how any parent can intentionally cause their child so much pain." A single tear rolled down her cheek. "And the fact that there are so many of them..." she shook her head in disbelief.

Blake put her hand on JJ's shoulder. "This planet needs more parents like you, JJ. It's sad how many parents turn their backs on their children because of who they choose to love. I'll never understand it either. We're supposed to love our children unconditionally. When did love become the condition?"

It was a question neither of them could answer.

* * *

_02/21/2013_


	53. Day 53: Respect Is Earned

**A/N: Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! Sorry I'm a little late on tonight's update. Went with my husband to a book signing this evening. It was great fun! Thanks for your patience!**

* * *

**365: Day 53**

**Characters: Erin Strauss**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Respect Is Earned**

Erin Strauss sat at her desk delving through case file after case file as she prepared her monthly reports on her BAU teams for the director. Open cases, closed cases, spending reports, injury reports. It was enough paperwork to give anyone a headache.

Once again, Agent Hotchner's team lead the way.

She remembered back to a time when she would have hated this fact. Hotchner's continual success was sure to catch the attention of the director and other top Bureau brass. She was so certain he'd been after her job in the past, that the consummate overachiever was trying to get noticed so that he could supplant her on his way to running the Bureau.

How wrong she had been.

She didn't know it was possible for an agent of Hotchner's caliber to want to stay in his current position with no desire to move above and beyond. But as he had told her years ago, "why would I ever want to leave the BAU?" She didn't necessarily believe his statement then. Why should she? She didn't trust him, and she was certain he sure as hell didn't trust her. How does someone with that much ambition just... settle?

But after watching him more closely over the last five years, she realized something.

The BAU was family.

She'd seen how hard he fought on behalf of Agent Jareau. She'd witnessed what he was willing to do to ensure the safety of Agent Prentiss. She saw how protective he was of Agent Reid.

She witnessed those rare light-hearted moments with his team, like at Agent Jareau's wedding.

She witnessed their fight for survival during the bank heist.

And as in any family, she'd witnessed his team's fierce loyalty and protectiveness of their leader. No time more poignant than the tragedy brought upon them by George Foyet.

If she ever doubted his statement before, she believed every word of it now. He would never leave the BAU. He couldn't. The team was his family. His to guide. His to nurture. His to protect. His to defend.

And he was willing to do each of those things with his life.

Despite that they rarely saw eye to eye on field tactics or bureau politics, there was one thing he'd more than earned from her.

Respect.

* * *

_02/22/2013_


	54. Day 54: Sleep Deprived

**A/N: Hey again! This is a very short little piece. This is sort of how I'm feeling right now after waking up at 5:30am on the first day of my 9-day vacation! *groan* A little Reid-Morgan fun for ya. Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 54**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Sleep Deprived**

The team had been awakened at "Oh-My-God-It's-Too-Early" o'clock to travel westward for a case that could very easily spiral out of control. Flying against the sunrise, they were in southern California before sun up. They had spent all day either at the police station, at one of three crime scenes, or at the medical examiner's office. They had reviewed everything the local police had on the three obviously related murders, built charts and graphs of information, and drank more bad coffee than was healthy. They began to piece together a preliminary profile. And considering the time change between Virginia and California, they had all now been awake for over twenty-four hours. Once he realized the time, Hotch called it a night and they all returned to their hotel.

Reid and Morgan were sharing a room, as was commonplace whenever the team were forced to share. They had continued to discuss possibilities about their Unsub on the drive over and in the elevator up to the fourth floor. And after they had each showered, they pressed on. They knew time was of the essence. They all wanted to stop the spiral before anymore innocent people were hurt. They each climbed into their respective beds and talked more. Morgan peppered Reid with questions. Reid peppered Morgan with statistics and probabilities.

It seemed the longer they talked, the less sense they were making. They were easily distracted, easily pulled off on a tangent that had no connection to their case whatsoever. Morgan noticed Reid beginning to slur his words. He was taking longer to put the statistics together in his powerful brain. At one point Morgan asked a question that went unanswered for nearly two full minutes until Reid spoke so flatly that Morgan thought he was answering in his sleep. He couldn't help but chuckle. He finally took pity on his partner.

"Go to sleep, pretty boy."

"Thank you."

He made himself comfortable and was almost asleep himself when he heard Reid make one final, very sleepy, slightly slurred statement.

"Tomorrow night you're rooming with Hotch."

He laughed out loud.

"Goodnight Reid."

He was greeted with a soft snore.

* * *

_02/23/2013_


	55. Day 55: Evaluation

**A/N: Moving right along. This is a bit of a continuation of Day 53 "Respect is Earned".**

* * *

**365: Day 55**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Erin Strauss**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Evaluation**

Now that Section Chief Erin Strauss had all of her monthly reports prepared for the director, it was time to meet with each of her Unit Chiefs. It was a chance to discuss what was going well and what needed to be worked on. It was also an opportunity to air any grievances and discuss any possible issues the chiefs were having within their teams.

At promptly 9:00am, Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner rapt on her office door. She waved him in and he took the visitor's chair in front of her desk. Unsurprising to either of them, Hotchner's team held the highest solved case percentage among all her teams. Including all cases in which they had assisted and cases on which they had consulted which led to apprehensions. They did still have a high amount of open cases, but unfortunately that was the case for all her teams. Serial killers never seemed to take an off day. Their budget was under control for now, which was always a good thing. For Strauss, she only needed to discuss one other thing.

"So," she took her glasses off and leaned back in her chair, "how are things going with the addition of Agent Blake to your team?"

"The transition has been surprisingly smooth. She's an impressive Profiler, and she comes with a lot of the skill set that we lost when Agent Prentiss transferred to Interpol. I think we're lucky to have her."

"I know how close your team was to Agent Prentiss. Has there been any dissension among team members?"

"Everyone was cautious at first, which is to be expected whenever someone new comes into a well established team. Agent Blake has proven herself trustworthy and extremely competent. She has earned their trust and they, in turn, have earned hers. It helps that Agent Reid has worked with her many times before. Knowing his relationship with her made the transition easier for everyone."

"That's good to hear. You have a briefing at 10:00?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well," she stood and held her hand out to him, "congratulate your team on a job well done."

He shook her hand. "Thank you, ma'am."

He turned to leave, but hesitated. It did not go unnoticed.

"Something on your mind, Aaron?"

"Chief Strauss," he turned to face her. "I know it's none of my business. And I haven't questioned Agent Blake about this. But I know there are some... issues... between the two of you. I don't need to know the details. I just need your assurance that whatever that conflict is, that it will not bleed into my team."

"I understand your concern, Aaron. The issues between myself and Agent Blake will be dealt with on our own time."

He nodded and left the office to return to his team. Strauss resumed her seat behind her desk. One of these days she and Agent Blake would have to deal with their issues. But finding the time... that was another story.

* * *

_02/24/2013_


	56. Day 56: The Letters

**A/N: Several weeks ago one of my reviewers asked if I would ever consider including Elle or Gideon in these stories. I said I'd never say never but it was highly unlikely. Well, for Elle, it is still highly unlikely. For Gideon...well... this is why I never say never! My apologies to that reviewer, I've forgotten who asked me about this. But to that reviewer, this is your chapter!**

***EDIT - Sand 'n Sable! This is your story!**

* * *

**365: Day 56**

**Characters: Jason Gideon**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Letters**

_Dear Spencer..._

This letter started as so many others had. Every time something happened in the young genius' life, he wrote another letter. He wanted so badly to let Spencer know that he was still out there and that he still cared about him. The others would never know it, but he did continue to keep tabs on all of them. He had written several letters, and not just for Spencer.

He had written to Aaron after the news of Haley Hotchner's death.

He had written to JJ after the birth of her son.

He had written to Morgan after they had found his cousin still alive after so many years.

He had written to Garcia after her shooting.

He had written a letter to all of them upon hearing of Emily Prentiss' "death", and then to Emily herself after her "resurrection".

He had even written to David, though they had never been close, after hearing of the death of his first wife.

But it was always Spencer about whom he was most concerned. He knew his departure had done a number on Spencer. He knew Spencer deserved so much more than a simple letter, but at the time he simply couldn't give him that. He couldn't give any of them that. He was simply too broken to continue.

Maybe one day he would be able to face them again. For now, they all seemed too happy. His reappearance would only open old wounds. It was better to leave them be. They had all grown closer. They were a family now. He couldn't throw a wrench in that.

Not even with a letter.

And so this letter, like all the others before it, went into his filing cabinet. There was a file for each of them. Maybe one day he would send them. Or maybe he would leave instructions in his will for them to be delivered on the event of his death. Until that day, they would remain here, safe. He located Spencer's file, the largest of them all, and placed this most recent letter inside.

Letters for another day.

* * *

_02/26/2013_


	57. Day 57: Keep Breathing

**A/N: Hi again! That's all!**

* * *

**365: Day 57**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Alex Blake, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Keep Breathing**

The team were split into pairs to track down leads on their unsubs. A team this time, who seemed to get a kick out of suffocating their victims. One had been smothered with a pillow. One had been held under water until he drowned. Another had been strangled.

Two men fitting their profile were spotted in an area of downtown riddled with rundown buildings and dark alleys. Hotchner and Blake took this lead while Morgan and JJ, and Rossi and Reid checked out two more. So many leads had been called in that the department staff was running thin.

Hotch drove three square blocks through the area to get a feel for where their unsubs could be hiding. He made a call to the rest of the team telling them to meet here if they came up empty after checking their areas. There were a lot of areas here for them to hide. He ended the call and he and Blake exited the vehicle.

They checked the south side of the block first. They went into the alleys and abandoned buildings, one of which had been burned out. They moved cautiously from place to place, eyes constantly moving.

Morgan and JJ showed up after their leads were proven bogus. After conferring with Hotch and Blake, they moved to the east. Hotch and Blake continued to work their way north.

Hotchner and Blake moved quietly down the north alley, guns at the ready. They searched methodically, one behind the other, high and low. There was so much debris in the alley they had to move slowly. There were too many places where their unsubs could be hiding. Stacked pallets and crates, industrial dumpsters, nooks and crannies were someone could duck into just out of site.

Which is exactly what they did. They watched as the agents searched the other side of the alley and waited patiently for them to move slightly ahead before making their move. The smaller of the two grabbed Blake first, knocking the gun from her hand.

"Hotch!"

He turned hearing her cry out but was quickly greeted by a pipe to the side of the head. He dropped quickly to the ground, but luckily (or unluckily) did not lose consciousness. The larger unsub rolled him onto his back and straddled him, pushing the pipe down across Hotch's neck.

"How does it feel, Mr. FBI?" he growled. "How does it feel to know you're about to die?"

"No!" Blake screamed while struggling fiercely against her attacker. His size gave him the advantage, however. He kept his arms wrapped tightly around her, preventing her from swinging her arms out to hit him. "Get off me, you son of a bitch! Let him go!"

The larger man continued to apply his full weight over Hotch. Hotch struggled against him, trying to push him off, but the man outweighed him by a good sixty pounds, which felt like much more with him sitting on his chest. He tried to swing his legs and hips to knock him off, all the while pushing against the pipe with everything he had, and very quickly running out of air. Blake continued to struggle loudly, hoping to attract the attention of Morgan and JJ, who were hopefully nearby.

"Shut that bitch up!" he growled to his partner.

"My pleasure," he smiled like a snake before planting his fist in her abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. He dropped her to the ground and kicked her a few times for good measure.

Hotch continued to struggle, gasping for what little air he could get. His face was turning bright red and sweat poured from his brow.

"Now you know how they all felt," he whispered, pushing down harder on the pipe and cutting off his air completely. Hotch began to panic, trying everything he could to get free. He pushed against the pipe, against the man, against anything he could reach before the lack of oxygen finally caught up to him and his hands fell limp at his sides.

"Hotch!" Blake gasped from the ground. Just then, four shots rang out from the back of the alley. And the two unsubs fell to the ground. Rossi, Reid, Morgan and JJ came running. Blake stumbled to her feet, clutching her side, and fell beside Hotch.

While Morgan and Reid made sure their unsubs were dead, JJ checked Blake and Rossi checked Hotch.

"Are you okay?" Blake heard JJ ask, but she couldn't answer. Not until she was sure Hotch was okay.

Rossi felt for a pulse, which Hotch still had, though he wasn't breathing. He tilted his head back and began artificial respiration. The bruising across Hotch's neck was already turning a dark red. Finally, after several tense moments, and a lot of begging on Rossi's part, it worked.

Receiving their much needed air, his lungs began to function again. He gasped and coughed violently, flailing his arms as if he were still fighting as he regained consciousness. Rossi caught his arms with Morgan's help and got him calmed down. He gripped the sleeve of Rossi's jacket and took several rapid breaths.

"There's an ambulance on the way," Reid informed them as they got Hotch sitting up, Rossi settling behind him for support. "Are you okay?"

"Never... better," he gasped, his voice scratchy and gravelly. "Everybody... else... okay?"

That brought a chuckle from everyone. "You just keep breathing and we'll be fine," Morgan answered.

Hotch nodded and dropped his head back against Rossi's chest. He was still gripping his sleeve like a life preserver. He reached out with his other hand and gripped Blake's wrist, finally getting her to meet his eyes. He nodded at her and she nodded back, a sign that there was no one to blame. They would both be okay.

They just had to keep breathing.

* * *

_02/26/2013_


	58. Day 58: No Fault

**A/N: Hi again! This is a continuation of Day 57 "Keep Breathing". Hope you like! Thank you all once again for the reviews! We've broken 700! Woo-hoo!**

* * *

**365: Day 58**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**No Fault**

After a horrendous night of near death experiences and emergency room visits, the team were finally on the jet heading home. Most everyone was asleep. Except for Blake and Hotch.

Hotch was laying on the couch absently rubbing his throat and thinking about just how close tonight had been. Sometimes he could still feel the pipe pressing down, cutting off his air supply. He hadn't felt that panicked for his own life in a very long time. His throat was sore to the touch but he couldn't keep himself from touching it. At least the soreness meant he was alive.

From his prone position he could see Blake sitting alone looking out the window into the black night. Her face told him everything he needed to know about how she was feeling about tonight. It didn't take much to decipher that look. She was blaming herself. He couldn't allow that.

"Blake," he called to her, voice still gravelly, as he sat up. He motioned for her to join him so they could talk without waking the others. She got up from her seat and joined him on the couch.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Stop blaming yourself."

"Who said I was blaming myself?" she tried to cover, but she knew she was caught.

"Your facial expression is giving you away. If anything it was my fault."

"I fail to see your logic on that one," she looked at him disbelievingly.

"We should have been doing the sweep side to side so we didn't miss anything. I got us too far ahead. If we'd gone side to side they wouldn't have gotten us from behind."

She sighed and looked away from him. "You nearly died tonight, Hotch. I was your wingman and I couldn't do a damn thing about it." She shook her head angrily.

"It's not like you were standing around watching, Alex. You had your own fight going on. You have two broken ribs and a bruised sternum to show for it. I know I'm not the only one having trouble breathing tonight." She looked down and nodded. She understood his point but she was still feeling a little guilty about the situation.

"We do the best we can to protect each other," he continued. "But sometimes it's simply out of our control. It's nobody's fault except the unsub. You understand?"

She offered him a slight smile. "Yes, sir."

"Good," he smiled in return. "Do you have a mirror?"

"Uh... yeah... I think." She retrieved her purse from her seat and rummaged until she found a small compact mirror, handing it to him. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his dress shirt to look at the bruising around his neck. It was a dark, angry red, some areas beginning to shade purple. He groaned.

"This is not going to go over well with Jack."

"I'm guessing he does not like to see Daddy hurt," she surmised.

"Not at all. I'm going to have some explaining to do."

"Good luck with that," she chuckled. "You should probably get some rest. Sounds like you're going to need it."

"Yeah," he handed back the mirror. She returned to her seat before he spoke again.

"No fault, Blake."

"No fault."

* * *

_02/27/2013_


	59. Day 59: Promises

**A/N: Hi gang! Sorry this chapter is a bit late. I went out of town to see Bon Jovi in concert. And I'm super tired, yet excited at the same time. It was an awesome show! Anyway, back to the story... Several people wanted to know what Jack's reaction to Aaron's injury would be like, and I'm too tired to think of something else, so we'll explore that this time. So once again, this is a continuation of Day 57 "Keep Breathing" and Day 58 "No Fault". Hope you like it. **

**I'm dedicating this chapter to my girl Rockie. She's the Jackster's #1 fan!**

* * *

**365: Day 59**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Jessica Brooks**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Promises**

Jessica Brooks hung up the phone and went into the living room where her nephew was watching _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ on one of the many kids cartoon stations provided by her cable company. Aaron was on his way, but he needed her to give Jack a head's up on his condition before he got there. She sat on the couch next to him and wrapped her arm around him.

"Was that Daddy on the phone?" he asked quietly.

"It sure was. They got the bad guys and he's all finished up at the office and is on his way here."

That produced a big smile, as his dad's impending arrival always did.

"I need to tell you something, okay buddy," she brushed his hair back. His smile faded. He knew that cautious tone in her voice. He looked up at her apprehensively.

"Daddy's okay," she stressed. "But he got a little bit hurt last night."

Almost immediately, his eyes started to well with tears. She hugged him tight. "He's okay. He'll be here in just a few minutes, but I wanted you to know about it first. Can you look up at me for a sec?"

He sniffled and looked up at her.

"One of the bad guys hurt his neck a little bit. He's got a big bruise right here," she ran her finger gently across Jack's neck near his shirt collar. "And it's still sore, so you have to be extra careful when you hug him around the neck. Okay?"

He nodded, but still looked sad.

"And he also sounds a little funny. Kinda like this," she changed her voice trying to sound gravelly, causing Jack to giggle. She sounded like a wounded duck! She chuckled as well.

"Oh, you think that's funny," she teased as she tickled him. He squirmed and giggled louder. She took pity on him and stopped, pulling him into a hug and ruffling his hair.

"I promise, even though Daddy sounds funny and he has icky looking bruise, he's going to be just fine. I promise, Jack."

He looked up at her with her sister's trusting blue eyes. She kissed his forehead and smiled at him. "Why don't you go put your pajamas on. You and Daddy are going to stay here tonight."

He got off the couch and went upstairs, moving a little slower than usual. While he was changing, Aaron arrived. Jessica greeted him at the door with a gentle hug.

"Let me see."

He lifted his head so she could get a look at his neck. She hissed and grimaced. "Wow, that looks like it hurts."

"It hurts like hell," he nodded, "but don't tell him that. How is he?"

"He got a little upset, which I expected. He's changing his clothes right now. I told him you were staying here tonight."

"Thanks for that. I'm exhausted."

"I bet. And you sound awful."

He nodded his agreement. "He's not going to like the sight of this."

She rubbed his arm. "He'll be okay."

A few minutes later a sleepy looking Jack came back downstairs. Aaron knelt down to his level. Instead of wrapping his arms around his neck as he usually did, Jack buried his face in his chest and clutched his dress shirt. Aaron felt his son's tears as he held him close.

"It's okay, buddy," he rubbed his back.

"You promised to be careful," his muffled, sad little voice carried to Aaron's ears.

"I know. And I was careful," he reassured him. "But sometimes even when we're careful we can still get hurt. But it's all okay now. You know why?"

Jack shook his head.

"Because me and Uncle Dave and big Derek and Spencer and JJ and Alex all worked together and we were able to stop the bad guys from hurting anyone else. And that's a really good thing. You understand? Any time you can stop someone from hurting someone else is a good thing."

Jack nodded, still clutching his shirt. "You sound funny."

Aaron chuckled. "I know. Let me see your hand. I want you to feel something, okay?"

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You're not going to hurt me, buddy. It's okay."

Jack allowed him to take his hand and press it against the center of his throat. "Do you feel how my throat vibrates when I talk?" Jack nodded. "Those are my vocal cords." He moved to place Jack's hand against his own throat. "Can you feel it when you talk?"

"I don't know," he said, then chuckled. "Yeah, it feels funny."

"Those are your vocal cords. They're kind of like little muscles in our throats that vibrate when we talk. That's how we make sound. And my vocal cords are right behind that bruise, so they got a little bit hurt too. But they will be all better in a few days and I'll sound like Daddy again."

Jack moved his hand to touch Aaron's neck again. "Does it hurt?"

"A little bit, yeah. But that will go away in a few days, too."

"Um..." he looked up at him. "Can I still hug you?"

Aaron smiled at him. "You can always hug me, buddy. Just be gentle, okay?"

Jack's arms immediately went around Aaron's neck, albeit very loosely, and he rested his head against his shoulder.

"Promise you won't get hurt anymore."

Aaron hugged him tighter. "I can't promise that, buddy. There's always a possibility that I could get hurt. But I promise I'll still be extra careful. Okay?"

Jack nodded against Aaron's shoulder.

"I don't know about you, but I'm sleepy. You ready for bed?"

Jack nodded again.

"You going to sleep with me tonight?"

He nodded one more time.

"Okay." He stood, bringing Jack up with him. He turned to Jessica. "Thanks again for doing this."

"Anytime, Aaron." She rubbed Jack's back and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight my best pal."

Jack was already asleep. She smiled. "Nice save, Aaron."

"Yeah. Thanks for prepping him beforehand."

"Not a problem. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He carried Jack up the stairs and put him in the guest room bed while he changed quickly and climbed in with him. He wrapped him up tight, curled against his chest.

"I love you, Jack. I love you so so much."

Jack mumbled something that sounded somewhat like "I love you, too," but it was hard to tell. He was sound asleep once again.

Aaron stared at the ceiling for a long time listening to Jack breathe and reminding himself that it's for Jack and the other children around the country that he does this job, even if he gets hurt once in a while. Finally the sound of his son's breathing lulled him to sleep.

* * *

_02/28/2013_


	60. Day 60: Becoming The Hunted

**A/N: Thanks once again to everyone who has reviewed. I love reading your comments! And I gained a few new readers this week. To you I say welcome to the madness! Hope you all continue to enjoy this series as we move into month number three!**

**This installment is a post ep to 8x16 "Carbon Copy".**

* * *

**365: Day 60**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Becoming The Hunted**

They all stood in the small room staring at the walls in utter disbelief. There seemed to be a section dedicated to each of them. Candid photographs taken at random intervals throughout the year. Photos of them from past cases all over the country. Photos of them on their days off doing whatever it is they do.

The cell phone Garcia had traced sat on the small table in the center of the room, surrounded by more photographs. It was left for them. The Replicator wanted them here, wanted them to see his work. Wanted them to know he was always watching them.

"From this moment on, nobody goes anywhere alone." Hotch's hard tone left no room for argument. Not that he'd get one from any of them at this point. They were all still shell shocked at what they were seeing. Once Hotch broke the silence, however, all the questions started coming.

"How could this bastard have been following us this long and none of us realize it?"

"Could he really have done all this on his own?"

"Could he have a partner?"

"If he is doing this alone, he can't possibly have a steady job. He has to be extremely flexible and have a large expendable income to follow us all over the country."

"He's not just stalking anymore. He reaching out. Getting bolder. That could also make him more dangerous. He's not afraid to get close. It's only a matter of time before he gets too close."

"This has to be someone with an axe to grind with the BAU. Somebody we've dealt with personally."

"That doesn't narrow the playing field very much."

"Maybe someone we misjudged. Maybe that's why he picked Donnie Bidwell to be his pawn. Someone he relates to because they share the same story, their lives ruined because of an error on our part."

"There is still a lot to consider. We need to get all this back to the labs at Quantico. Have crime scene techs sweep this room, see if they come up with anything."

They all nodded in agreement. They were all visibly shaken, though they tried to put on a face of calm. Hotch called Strauss to inform her of the new developments and to ensure that she, too, had a security detail. Though her picture was not on the wall, he was not taking any chances.

They had no idea when or where he would strike next. That was the most unnerving thing of all.

The hunters had become the hunted.

* * *

_03/01/2013_

* * *

**A/N2: I left the quotes vague intentionally. I figure they're all thinking the same things anyway. I'll let you determine who said what.**


	61. Day 61: Checking In

**A/N: This chapter goes along with the Replicator storyline but is not a direct continuation of the previous chapter. More like Hotch making sure all his bases are covered for protecting his team. All his team. Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 61**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss, mentions of Ashley Seaver, Jason Gideon, and Elle Greenaway**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Checking In**

It was nearly 6:00am when her phone rang. She groaned at the incessant buzzing. Why was she being awakened at this ungodly hour on her day off?! She answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Clyde, this better be good," she groaned.

"Emily?"

She looked at her phone, confused. That was definitely not Clyde Easter's voice. "Hotch?"

"I... uh... hope I'm not interrupting something."

"No! Sorry." She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I thought I was being called in on a case. It's my day off."

"Ah. Sorry if I woke you. I thought you'd be up."

"It's no problem. Is everything okay? It's pretty late back home."

"It's nearly midnight, and no, everything is not ok." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We have a situation that you need to be aware of."

She sat straight up. He had her full attention now. "What's going on?" He could hear the worried tone of her voice.

"The team is being stalked."

"What? Everyone?"

"Yes. There's an Unsub who has been tracking us, following our cases. He's leaving us bodies killed in the same manner as victims of our previously solved cases. And now he's taunting us. So far he's sent flowers to JJ, left a message for Reid, and left my picture on a victim's body."

"Oh my God." She ran her fingers through her hair as her worry for her family grew. "Do you have any leads?"

"We thought we had him a few days ago, but it turned out to be a pawn he manipulated to bring us into the game. We found what he wanted us to find, though."

"Which was what?"

He sighed. "He had a room with nothing in it but photographs of the team. Hundreds of them. From various cases all over the country. He's been following us for the better part of a year. I didn't see any pictures of you, but he did have photos of JJ from the bank heist last May, when you were still part of the team. I don't think you're a target, but I wanted you to be aware just in case."

"Yeah. Definitely." She let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "What are you guys doing to protect yourselves? I need to know you guys are safe."

"I've got protective details on all of our homes and families, including Strauss. I've spoken with Ashley Seaver. I don't think she's a target either, but she was part of this team for several months, so I'm making sure she's aware of what's happening. Andi Swan is taking care of her. And I have an analyst not connected to this team trying to locate Gideon and Elle. Again, I don't think they're in danger but with our line of work we can never be too careful."

"Why another analyst? Why not Garcia?" She sounded utterly confused. "She's the best, you know that."

"I know. But if this Unsub is tracking our every move, I don't want Garcia to inadvertently lead him straight to them if she should find them. It needs to be someone he's not watching. Someone with no connection to the BAU."

"That makes sense." She sighed. "Wow. Hotch. I can't believe this is happening. Are you sure you're all right?"

"We're okay for now." He sounded exhausted. "We're taking precautions as best we can."

"Okay. Keep me in the loop, will you?"

"I will. And Emily, make sure Clyde Easter knows about this. And keep your eyes open. Anything weird happens, call me immediately."

"I will. Take care of each other."

"We will. I'll be in touch."

"Okay. Goodnight, Hotch."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and rubbed his tired eyes. One more family member was aware and protected. At this point, that's all he could do.

* * *

_03/02/2013_


	62. Day 62: Protecting Family

**A/N: One more chapter involving the Replicator and then we'll move on. Thank you everyone for still sticking with this collection! **

* * *

**365: Day 62**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Protecting Family**

David Rossi entered the BAU very early Monday morning, 6:00am to be exact. A full two hours earlier than normal. Seeing the hundreds of photos decorating the walls of what was possibly the Replicator's dark room had rattled even the seasoned veteran. It told him that all of them were in much more danger than they originally thought.

He entered the bullpen area, not surprised to see it mostly dark. He was surprised, however, to see the light on through the office window at the top of the stairs. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised at all that Aaron Hotchner would be here just as early. Chances were he'd been here for a while already. Knowing Hotch, he probably hadn't slept at all. Dave at least got three hours before finally giving in to his worry for the team and coming in to start breaking down the Replicator case piece by piece.

He made a little bit of noise coming up the stairs so as not to catch Hotch completely off guard. He knocked against the open door and peered in at Aaron hunched over his desk diligently looking over a case file. A pile of similar files sat stacked to his right, and three boxes of what he assumed to be more case files were stacked on the floor beside his desk.

"What's all this?"

"This is every case we've worked since the bank heist last year," Hotch said, eyes never leaving the file. "The earliest photograph I noticed on the wall was of JJ outside the bank." He turned to the next page of the file. "He has to be in one of these files somewhere."

"That's a lot of cases to go through piece by piece," Dave sat in the chair across from Hotch's desk.

"And I intend to go through every last one of them." His tone was hard as stone, dead serious. Dave's first thought...'God help the man that makes Aaron Hotchner this angry.' He watched his friend closely. His jaw was hard set, eyes completely focused. He looked fiercely determined, though the set of his shoulders spoke of exhaustion.

"Did you get any sleep this weekend?"

"Not much."

"Aaron, look at me."

"I'm busy, Dave."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Look. At. Me."

Finally Hotch sat his pen down, leaned back in his chair and looked defiantly across his desk at Dave.

"I get why you're doing this. We all want this guy. We're all angry, on edge, nervous, maybe a little scared. But you're not going to do anyone any good if you work yourself into unconsciousness. You've got to let yourself rest, Aaron. There are seven of us on this team and we're all going to be looking at everything we can to catch this son of a bitch."

Aaron knew Dave had a point. But this wasn't just about catching a killer. This was about protecting family. Something he felt he hadn't been able to do very well.

"I was made Unit Chief of this team in 2005. Less than a year later, Randall Gardner happened. He taunted this team, got us all personally involved in his sick little game. Elle Greenaway was shot during that case when I sent her home without sufficient protection. At the end of that case I stood in her living room and washed her blood off the wall. She survived, but we never really got her back. We lost her that day.

"Then in 2007, Frank Breitkopf happened. He didn't start our targeting us, but that changed and he targeted Gideon. He went after the survivors of cases that he worked. Gideon lost a close friend during that case. And we lost Gideon."

He stood and walked to the window overlooking the bullpen.

"Then in 2009, Foyet. I don't have to explain that one," he looked over his shoulder at Dave. Dave flinched at the pain that crossed Aaron's face. Even three years later, that case still affected him as if it happened yesterday. It always would.

"2011 - Doyle," he continued. "Thanks to him, Emily isn't here anymore. Are you seeing a pattern yet, Dave?" His anger began to bleed into his tone. "Every two years since I took over we lose another member of this family."

"Aaron..."

"I am not letting that happen again on my watch!"

He finally sat back in his chair and ran his hand through his hair. He took some deep breaths to try to calm himself down.

"I'm not doing a very good job of protecting this family, David." His voice now was low, sounding almost defeated. "This family is too important. We can't lose anyone else. We've come too close too many times. Garcia being shot, Reid being kidnapped, JJ and Will becoming targets during the bank heist." He shook his head and closed his eyes tightly. "We can't lose anyone else," he repeated quietly.

Dave leaned forward, resting his arms on Aaron's desk. "The job of protecting this family doesn't solely fall on your shoulders. That task falls to all of us. We protect each other. That's what family does."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, letting the tension in the air die down. This case was beyond personal and had them all on edge. It was obvious now that they would all have to keep each other in check. Morgan, Reid, JJ, and Garcia had all been members of this team during every case Aaron mentioned. They were undoubtedly feeling the same as Aaron.

Hotch finally regained his composure and went back to his file. "He has to be in one of these files. There's no way he tracked us all over the country for the better part of a year and we've never seen him. He has to be here somewhere."

"Give me one." Hotch looked up. "We've got at least an hour before everyone else starts showing up. Let me help."

Hotch nodded and handed him the next file in the stack. Together they began working on what was quite possibly their most important case to date.

* * *

_03/03/2013_


	63. Day 63: Innocence

**A/N: 800! 800 Reviews! Holy crap, people! You guys floor me, you know that? I never thought I'd write anything that pulled that kind of response. I'm incredibly humbled. Thank you all very much for all the support. I'm very grateful. And now... onward!**

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**365: Day 63**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Innocence**

JJ arrived home late after a stressful day. Will had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her. She smiled at the look of serenity on his face. She pulled the blanket off the top of the couch and spread it over him, kissing his forehead before heading upstairs.

In his own room across the hall from his parents, little Henry Jareau-LaMontagne slept peacefully in his big-boy bed. His mother smiled down at him before kneeling next to his bed. She leaned her arms on his bed, rested her head on her hands and watched him sleep.

There was so much innocence wrapped in such a small package. Innocence wrapped in batman pajamas with her long blond hair and Will's shy smile. She knew from the second he was placed in her arms that there was nothing in the world she wouldn't do to protect her innocent, beautiful boy.

She very lightly brushed her fingers through his hair as she recited "Baby Star" in a whispered voice. Though he was getting a bit older, it was still his favorite bedtime story. It was her favorite, too. And she knew it word for word. Knew which words were on which page, and the positioning of the stars.

While she recited the story, she was flooded with memories of Henry's young life. The first time he crawled. His first tooth. First steps. First words. The first time he kicked a soccer ball. His beautiful smile. His infectious laugh. The tears began to slowly flow as she continued the story.

Will awoke on the couch and deduced by the blanket covering him that his wife had arrived home. He stood and stretched before making his way up the stairs. He paused in the doorway of Henry's room, watching her as she continued to stroke his hair, raising her hand once in a while to wipe the tears from her face. He waited for her to finish the story before approaching her.

"JJ," he whispered, hoping not to startle her. She looked back and smiled at him, reaching for his hand. He sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

She took a deep breath and leaned into him. "As long as he's safe, everything's fine."

They both sat for over an hour, watching the rise and fall of Henry's chest as he played in dreamland. All of their hopes and dreams for him wrapped in one solitary function - keeping him safe. Last year they had come way too close to losing him and each other. They vowed to never let that happen again.

His innocence was far to precious to risk.

* * *

_03/04/2013_


	64. Day 64: We Need This

**A/N: *waves* Hi peeps! Hope everyone is having a good day/night/whatever time it is in your timezone!**

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**365: Day 64**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Team**

**Rating: K+**

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**We Need This**

The team entered their conference room for the morning briefing at 10:00am, just like every other morning they were in the office. Only instead of case files and legal pads, they were greeted by bagels and pastries and a fruit tray and cup of coffee in each of their places, sweetened (or not) as they each preferred. In front of the blank monitors that usually bore grizzly images of the next crime scene stood Penelope Garcia in her traditional brightly colored clothing with matching colorful framed glasses and pink streaked hair.

"What's all this, Baby Girl?" Derek Morgan asked as he entered the conference room first, eyes lighting up at the smorgasbord in front of him.

"It's called 'Breakfast', my early morning stud muffin," she smiled, taking a bite of a raspberry danish. He took great pleasure in swiping his finger across the side of her mouth, catching the little bit of raspberry filling that tried to get away, and having a taste himself.

"Mmm... good stuff," he grinned. She smacked his arm, causing him to laugh out loud.

"Oh my goodness," JJ nearly drooled at the site.

"Garcia, did you do all this?" Blake asked, taking her seat and moaning out loud at the delicious taste of her coffee.

She nodded her head. "Guilty as charged."

"Mmmmmm..." They all looked over to see Reid's face buried in his coffee cup. The boy was going to fall into a sugar coma one of these days.

"Garcia," Hotch looked at her, though he couldn't hide the grin as he picked up a croissant. "What's going on?"

"Have you people really forgotten what breakfast looks like?" she shook her head.

Hotch simply quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Okay, okay," she gave up. "I felt like we all needed to take a step back and breathe. Everyone has been working so hard and we've all been on edge ever since you guys found those photos in that sicko's lair that I'm afraid someone is going to burn out. And I can't let that happen to my babies."

She pointed her finger back and forth between Hotch and Rossi. "I know the both of you were in here before 6:00am Monday morning. You forget I have access to the security logs."

Hotch and Rossi shared a look that said only one thing. _'Busted!'_

"You all protect everyone with your awesome super-hero-ness and your bravery and your courage. Consider this my way of protecting all of you. Someone has to take care of you guys. You'll run yourselves into the ground otherwise."

Rossi stood and walked over to her, giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Thanks, Kitten."

"Thanks, Garcia," Reid looked up at her. "You know I'd forget to eat sometimes if it weren't for you."

She smiled and messed up his hair.

Everyone shared their sentiments with their vibrant tech analyst. JJ gave her a hug. Blake toasted her with her coffee cup. They all enjoyed their impromptu feast, keeping the air light and friendly for these few precious moments. As they were wrapping up, Hotch spoke up.

"Thank you for this, Garcia," he said. "You were right, we did need this. But you know all you have to do for us is keep smiling. As long as you keep smiling, we'll be okay."

Her only response to that was, of course, to smile.

* * *

_03/05/2013_


	65. Day 65: Rest

**A/N: Using this Author's Note to thank those readers who reviewed anonymously or as guests and weren't logged in. Since I couldn't send a personal thanks to you... THANKS! :) Now... onward!**

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**365: Day 65**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Rest**

Aaron Hotchner signed his name to the final report on what seemed like an endless sea of files flowing over his desk. He flopped back in his chair and let his head fall back against the high back. Finally, finally he was done. It had been a very long day. After spending so much time on the road the case files awaiting his signature for closure seemed to multiply. This was the first chance he'd had to address the growing problem and it had taken his entire day and most of his night. He glanced at the clock on the side of his desk. 9:22pm. Well beyond time to go home.

He shut down his computer and neatly stacked all the now completed files on the corner of his desk to be delivered to Strauss the next morning. He put on his coat, picked up his briefcase, and exited his office, shutting off the lights and closing the door. He turned and was shocked to see one of his team still sitting at his desk. It only took a split second for him to realize that said teammate was asleep. He chuckled to himself and walked down the steps.

He put his hand gently on Spencer Reid's shoulder, hoping not to startle him too badly. "Spencer," he lightly shook him. Reid picked up his head and looked over his shoulder with bleary eyes.

"Hotch?"

"It's late. What are you still doing here?"

It took a moment for his brain to catch up. He was still at the office. He had fallen asleep with his head on an open case file. "I was going over our earlier cases, trying to find a pattern I may have missed."

"You need to get some rest, Reid."

"You're still here."

"I know. I had to finalize the reports to get them to Strauss in the morning. It was either stay here and finish or take them home and risk Jack seeing them. He doesn't need to see that."

Reid dropped his head. "Nobody needs to see that."

"I agree." He watched Reid for a few moments before asking a concerned question. "How are you doing, Reid?"

He sighed. "I have good days and bad days. This was kind of a bad day," his voice trailed off. Some days, despite their heavy work load and all the distractions, he simply couldn't get Maeve out of his mind. The memories would always start as happy ones, but more often than not they would turn into the nightmare of her last day on Earth.

"You know you can always come to me, Spencer. Anytime."

"I know," he gave Hotch a thankful look. "I'm just not really read to talk about it yet... about her yet."

"Believe me," Hotch gave him a comforting smile, "I understand."

"Thanks, Hotch."

Hotch gave his shoulder and squeeze. "Come on, those files will still be here tomorrow."

Hotch waited while Reid gathered his things and they left the BAU together.

"You okay to drive?" Hotch asked as they entered the garage and headed to their cars.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay. Get some rest, Reid."

"Yeah, you too."

As they got into their respective cars and drove away, the same thought played through both their heads.

Rest... yeah, right.

* * *

_03/06/2013_


	66. Day 66: Comtemplations

**A/N: Happy Thursday!**

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**365: Day 66**

**Characters: David Rossi, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Contemplations**

_'Another city, another Unsub. It never stops,'_ David Rossi thought as he entered the hotel room. The room was much nicer than they were used to. Two double beds, big television, desk to set up a laptop, even a couch on the other side of a half-wall with a coffee table and mini-fridge, which made it feel a bit like a separate room.

It didn't matter. It was just another room in another city that wasn't home.

He tossed his jacket and briefcase haphazardly onto the couch and flopped unceremoniously next to them. He rubbed his tired face and let his head fall back to rest against the back of the couch, closing his eyes.

Hotch entered the room behind him, closing the door. He turned a concerned glance to his long time friend. "You alright?"

Rossi sighed. "I'm just tired."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," he said as he dropped his go-bag on one of the two beds. He kept glancing over at Rossi. He'd never seen him this distant. He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. And he noticed Dave hadn't answered his question. He went into the bathroom, returning a few moments later to find Dave hadn't moved. He went over to him and sat on the coffee table in front of him.

"Talk to me."

Dave opened his sad eyes to look at his friend. "Sometimes I feel like I've seen too much. As soon as I think I've seen the worst of humanity, someone feels the need to prove me wrong."

"I understand. It never seems to end."

"You'd think after over 30 years it wouldn't get to me like it does. Sometimes it hits me all at once. All the tragedy, all the heartache." He shook his head. "There are some days that I wish it would all just stop."

Hotch nodded. "I feel that way every time we get a case involving kids. Each one gets a little harder to stomach."

"My editor wants me to retire again, go back to writing full time."

Hotch's head snapped up. He stared at Rossi in wide-eyed disbelief. "Are you... considering it?"

Rossi gave him a half-hearted smile. "No. But once in a while the thought does creep in. Now is one of those times." He let his head drop back and closed his eyes once again. "I'm worn out, Hotch. But I know I wouldn't rest any easier away from this hell. Things like this stay with you. Writing about them doesn't make them go away."

"Talking about them doesn't make them go away either. But as you've told me too many times to count, it does help."

Rossi chuckled softly. "Yes it does. Nice to know you still listen to me."

"Well," Hotch shrugged, "from time to time anyway."

"Smart ass."

"I had a good teacher."

Dave outright laughed. "Touche."

Hotch smiled as well. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I will be." He stood and stretched. "Thanks, Hotch."

"Anytime."

Rossi took a shower to settle himself. The steam always calmed him. And the water washed away the tears he wouldn't shed in front of the others. Sometimes that was the only way to shed those emotions and put himself back together. He felt much better afterward. When he exited the bathroom, Hotch was already asleep. He envied his ability to fall asleep so quickly on this night. Sleep was something he desperately needed. But he knew it would elude him for a while anyway. He pulled out a book and turned on the bedside lamp, engrossing himself in a fantasy world devoid of serial killers. Sometimes that seemed like a much better place to be.

Until tomorrow.

* * *

_03/07/2013_


	67. Day 67: The Pet Conundrum

**A/N: Just wanted to thank you all again for the incredible response this collection has prompted. I appreciate all of you taking the time to let me know your thoughts. And welcome to all my new readers! I hope you enjoy the ride! Now, lets have a little fun, shall we?**

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**365: Day 67**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Pet Conundrum**

Aaron Hotchner hung up the phone and groaned. He rubbed his temples as he felt the beginnings of a headache pulsing behind his eyes. Rossi looked at him carefully.

"You okay?"

"Fine."

"Was that Strauss?" Morgan asked. "We don't have another case already, do we?"

"No, that wasn't Strauss. It was Jack."

Morgan and Rossi looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Morgan was the first to voice what they were both thinking. "A conversation with your son made you look like that?"

Hotch rubbed his face.

"Hey," Rossi got his attention. "What's going on?"

Hotch sighed. "Jack wants a dog."

Rossi and Morgan both chuckled a bit. "That's it? The kid wants a dog? That's what's got you freaked out?"

"You don't get it. We have this same conversation every single year as soon as the weather breaks. Once spring starts rolling out and he sees people out with their dogs at the park he immediately starts begging."

"So what's the big deal?"

"Well, for starters, I work 60 hours a week. Who's going to take care of this dog until Jack is old enough to take on the responsibility himself? Second, our apartment doesn't allow pets over a certain size. And if my son is going to have a dog, it's going to be a real dog, not some tiny bouncy thing that I'm going to crush when I step on it in the middle of the night."

They both started laughing.

"And besides," he continued, "Jessica is already doing way more for us than I could have imagined. I can't ask her to take care of Jack's dog, too. I keep telling him we'll see about it when he's older and can take care of it on his own, but every year we do this all over again. It's exhausting."

"You know, he's more than welcome to come play with Mudge any time he wants. I'm sure the old man would enjoy the company."

"Yeah, Hotch," Morgan added, "he can come hang with Clooney too. We're in the dog park almost every Saturday when we're home."

"I appreciate that, guys. We'll see."

They all quieted down for a bit, until Hotch thought of something.

"Maybe I can start him off with something simple. Get him a fish or something."

Morgan dropped his head to his chest and couldn't hold back his laughter. He tried, but he just couldn't do it.

"Kid wants a dog and you want to get him a fish," he shook his head. "Oh man."

"A fish is a lot less responsibility than a dog. He can learn how to start taking care of a fish, then when he's a little older, then move up to dogs. It makes sense!"

"Stop, Hotch," Rossi pleaded, placing a hand on his shoulder as Morgan continued to laugh. "Just stop."

Hotch hung his head in defeat.

* * *

_03/08/2013_

* * *

**A/N 2: This one was written in honor of the six newest members of the Thn Fish Brigade! Welcome to the tank, fishies!**


	68. Day 68: Bring On Spring

**A/N: Spring is in the air! In honor of the beautiful weather in my neck of the woods today (and this coming week), let's go grillin'!**

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**365: Day 68**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Bring On Spring**

It was a beautiful sunny day in Virginia. The temperature hovered around 60* Fahrenheit with a slight breeze. Not quite spring weather, but close enough for David Rossi. He phoned up his teammates, pulled some burgers and steaks out of the deep freezer, and fired up the grill on his patio.

One by one his friends arrived, bringing side dishes and desserts along with them.

"You're rushing spring a bit, aren't you, Dave?" Morgan asked as he put the beer in the fridge and went out to the patio, followed by Reid.

"Hell yes. I'm sick to death of this cold."

"I think we all are," Reid stated as the wind blew his hair in front of his face.

"It is a beautiful day," JJ added as she, Will and Henry made their way outside.

"Hey Uncle Dave!" Henry bounced. "Whatcha cookin'?"

"Burgers and steaks, pal. But you strike me as a hot dog kind of guy, am I right?"

"Yep!" He nodded his shaggy blond head.

"I think we can handle that," he winked.

"Yay!" They all chuckled at his excitement.

"Hey Uncle Dave!" another young voice called out.

"Jackster! How's my big man?" He held out his hand for a high five.

"Good!" Jack smacked his hand. "I brought a frisbee. Can me and Henry play with Mudge?"

"Go for it, kiddo."

Jack and Henry ran out into the yard, followed very closely by their four-legged buddy.

"Need any help?" Hotch asked from the doorway.

"Nope. We'll be ready soon. Any sign of Blake or Garcia?"

"They just pulled up."

"Good."

"Hey party people!" Garcia entered with a flourish in her usual brightly colored, albeit slightly more casual, attire.

"Looking good, as always, Mama," Morgan laughed.

"You know how I like to make an entrance, sugar."

"Yes, ma'am."

Blake chuckled from behind her. "Anything I can help with?"

"Nope, we're ready."

Hotch started to go get the boys, but Dave stopped him. "Let them play while we eat. Then I'll throw some hot dogs on the grill for them."

"Sounds good to me."

They fixed their plates inside - potato salad, chips, a medley of sauteed veggies, baked beans, corn on the cob - and made their way back outside for their burgers and steaks (and tilapia for Garcia) straight from the grill. Soft drinks and beers were passed around. They ate outside on the screened in porch so Hotch and JJ could keep an eye on the boys and they could all enjoy the unseasonably warm afternoon.

There was no talk of serial killers. No talk of meetings or paperwork. No shop talk at all. They talked about the weather, about sports, what the kids were up to, how they were doing in school, how Blake's husband was faring overseas. They laughed with each other, teased each other, joked with each other, and simply enjoyed each others company. They laughed as the boys chased after the dog, then the dog chased after the boys, and smiled as their laughter filled the air.

It was exactly what they needed. And they couldn't wait to do it again. If only the weather would permit it.

Bring on spring.

* * *

_03/09/2013_


	69. Day 69: Coffee's On Reid

**A/N: Hi everyone! Glad to see you are all still enjoying these moments in the lives of our favorite crime fighters. **

**Not-Knowing-Is-Everything requested some fun with Reid. I hope you like this!**

* * *

**365: Day 69**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Coffee's On Reid**

Reid, Morgan, and Garcia had enjoyed a night at the movies and were now waiting for their orders at the Starbucks down the street. Once Reid had his coffee (loaded up with enough sugar to send an elephant into orbit), Morgan had his coffee (black), and Garcia had her concoction of so many different things that even Reid struggled to remember it all, they headed back to the sidewalk.

They walked down the strip toward the staircase that would take them back to the parking garage and Morgan's SUV. As they walked, they talked about the movie they had seen. Garcia was still freaked out by the villains. Reid rambled off the statistics and physical improbabilities of what they had witnessed. Morgan laughed at the both of them as he draped an arm around Garcia's shoulders.

As they reached the staircase, Reid paused. Something had caught his attention. His head followed a group of three young women who passed by him on the stairs. One of them in particular had caught his attention. She was wearing a multi-colored scarf and had a blue bag slung over her shoulder.

Reid started to walk again to catch back up to Morgan and Garcia, but his head was still focused on the girl and he tripped up the stairs. And was suddenly wearing his coffee.

"Aah!" he gasped as the hot liquid hit his chest.

Morgan, of course, immediately laughed.

"Oh man, Em was right," he teased. "Pretty girl walks by and just like that, IQ of 187 drops to 60."

"Shut up, Morgan," Reid groaned, trying to pull his now wet shirt away from his body.

"Leave my baby alone," Garcia swatted Morgan's shoulder. "Besides, he wasn't looking at the girl."

"Come on," Morgan said in disbelief. "That girl was beautiful. Who could blame him for looking!"

Reid had to chuckle. "He doesn't get it, Garcia."

"Clearly not."

"Okay, I'm missing something," Morgan stared confused at the two of them.

"Of course you are," Garcia replied. "You lack Geek cred."

"I'm sorry?"

"Geek cred," Reid answered. "You don't have it."

"Okay, now I'm totally lost. What the hell are you two talking about."

Garcia and Reid shared a laugh.

"I told you he wasn't distracted by the girl," Garcia stated. "He was distracted by what she was wearing."

"The scarf was an exact replica of the one worn by the Fourth Doctor in the famed Doctor Who series. And the blue bag she was carrying was a TARDIS."

"A what?"

"A TARDIS. It stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It's essentially a time machine that can transport its occupants to any point in time and/or space. Also from the Doctor Who series."

Morgan looked completely perplexed. "You saw her for, like, ten seconds, and you picked up all that?"

"Like I said, sugarplum," Garcia patted his arm, "Geek cred. We have it. You do not."

"Clearly not," he laughed as he fished his keys out of his pocket.

"It didn't used to be so socially acceptable to be a geek," Reid said. "I would have gotten beat up for that when I was in school."

"People have just realized that geeks will one day rule the world. Not bullies." She hugged him.

"That's very true," Reid smiled. "But can we go now? This wet shirt is getting really cold!"

"That's because you're supposed to drink your coffee, not wear it!" Morgan laughed as they all got in the car and headed home.

* * *

_03/10/2013_

* * *

_A/N 2: I have never seen an episode of Doctor Who, so I had to do some quick research. I hope I got the details right!_


	70. Day 70: Corner Pocket Fears

**A/N: *waves* Just wanted to take a second and thank all my first-time reviewers. Thanks for jumping into a story that was already over 60 chapters long and giving it a shot. :)**

**Holy craaaaaaaaaaaap! 900+ reviews! You people are AWESOME! All of you! Just so you know. *HUGS* to you all!**

**Thanks to Rockhotch31 for prompting the idea for this chapter! Here's to you, my young knight!**

* * *

**365: Day 70**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Corner Pocket Fears and Frustrations**

Hotch circled the cherry wood pool table looking for the perfect shot as Rossi sat on his bar stool sipping his scotch awaiting his turn. It had become tradition over the years that when Hotch needed to vent or let off some steam, give voice to his fears and frustrations without the watchful eyes and listening ears of his team, he and Rossi would spend the evening in Rossi's basement "man cave". The expensive pool table, marble topped bar with leather bar stools and the best scotch available, surround sound stereo system and big screen TV adorned the room. It had become a much needed hideaway for all the team, but none more so than Hotch.

Since he'd become a single dad he'd grown much more careful of what he brought home from work. And not just the physical things like files of crime scene photos and paperwork, but specifically his anger and frustrations that came with the job. Jack didn't need to see him like that. Jack needed his dad to be open and available, not closed off. So when those unsolved cases got to him, threatening to shut him down emotionally, he would come here. An hour or so spent with a friend who understood his frustrations, who would let him get angry and vent without trying to convince him that everything would be okay, was all he needed sometimes to be able to go home and be the dad his son needed him to be.

He'd been mostly quiet since he and Rossi arrived forty-five minutes ago, which was not uncommon during these visits. He'd won the first game, Rossi the second, and their current game was a close one. They'd each put three balls in the pockets and Hotch was working on the fourth. He studied the table and aimed the cue ball at the purple 4-ball and fired it toward the right side pocket. It glanced off the corner and back into play. He took his seat at the bar as Rossi took his turn.

Rossi sank the blue-striped 10 and the orange-striped 11, leaving only the crimson-striped 15-ball remaining for him to pocket before he could take on the black 8-ball for the win. He attempted to send the 15 to the left corner pocket and missed.

Instead of getting up to take his shot, Hotch remained in his seat, absently tapping his pool cue, his tell-tale sign that he was finally ready to talk.

"Strauss is going to pull us off the case."

"We have 4 open cases right now, Aaron. You're going to have to be a little more specific."

"The Replicator case. I just can't shake the feeling that she's going to pull us."

"She wouldn't dare take us off that case," Rossi stated vehemently.

"If we don't solve it soon..."

"Aaron," Rossi tone turned hard. "We are the best team for this case. She knows that."

"Yes, but as she pointed out, we're also victims in this case. Every single one of us is personally involved now. Our objectivity may be compromised."

He looked at him skeptically. "You really believe that this team can't remain objective?"

He sighed deeply. "I believe that right now the only thing on my mind is keeping my son safe. If someone is after me, then he is in immediate danger. I can't go through that again, Dave. Neither can JJ," he mentioned the only other parent on the team. If any of them were to lose their objectivity due to personal emotion, it would be the two of them.

Dave put a hand on his shoulder. "We're much more prepared than we were before, Aaron. We've already got protective details on Jack and Henry around the clock. So far this Unsub has only targeted the specific members of this team, not anyone outside of it. And we are running every possible search, tracking every possible lead. Erin knows that. And we're keeping her in the loop, just like she asked. There is nothing that any other team could do that we're not already doing."

"I know. I just..." he hesitated and swallowed hard. "I don't want to be the one to put this team in jeopardy when I stop thinking like an agent and start thinking like a scared father."

Dave huffed a chuckle, causing Hotch to look at him, perplexed. "Aaron, you already think like a scared father. Your first concern is always Jack. It just so happens that the scared father always thinks like a federal agent."

"I hope you're right, because we've got to end this. Soon." He finally stoop up and moved to the table to take his shot. He finally sank the purple 4 and followed it by sinking the green 6. He, like Rossi, was down to the 8-ball.

"I'll make you a promise, Aaron," Rossi said, watching his one-time protege. "If I see you heading in the wrong direction, I'll pull you out myself. Same for JJ. Deal?"

Aaron took one more close look at the angles before blasting the 8-ball into the corner pocket, sealing the victory.

"Deal."

* * *

_03/11/2013_


	71. Day 71: Hot Showers and Fluffy Pillows

**A/N: Hi everybody! Hope you're all well! Just a little shout out to all my guest reviewers... Thanks people! **

* * *

**365: Day 71**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Hot Showers and Fluffy Pillows**

Penelope Garcia entered her flamboyant colorful apartment, dragging from another long day at the BAU. She didn't want dinner. She didn't want to watch TV. She didn't even want to turn on her computer. All she wanted was a hot shower to wash away the day and a good night's sleep. She dropped her keys in the vibrant dish on the coffee table and went into her room. She rifled through her drawers for clean comfy PJ's, grabbed her fluffy pink robe hanging on the closet door and went into the bathroom where she was greeted by her Hello Kitty shower curtain.

The steam from the shower had exactly the calming effect she'd hoped. She inhaled deeply, letting it fill her lungs, cleansing her from the inside out. She let the hot water melt away the sadness, the fear, the terrible images of yet another family's tragedy. She let it wash away the trials and tribulations of the day and wrap her in warmth and safety.

Before the water turned cool she shut it off and dried off. She dressed in her hot pink and purple plaid warm cozy jammies and put on her robe. She went into the kitchen, made a cup of hot tea and carried it into her bedroom, sipping it on the way. Hot tea always made her feel better at the end of the day. She finished her tea and looked at her plush comfy bed.

"Hello my lovely. How I have missed you so!"

She tucked herself into her favorite sheets and blankets, cushioning her head onto one fluffy pillow while hugging and snuggling the other.

"Aaaahhh... I love you, pillow," she mumbled. "I love you, blankies. I love you, bed."

And she was out like a light.

Hot showers and fluffy pillows make everything better.

* * *

_03/12/2013_


	72. Day 72: Missing You

**A/N: Evening all! So shelly . hoffer . 7 gave me an idea after yesterday's chapter. She wanted to see how the others react at home after a day on the job. We've seen Hotch and Rossi unwinding around the pool table, and JJ looking over her family. So what about the others? Let's find out, shall we?**

* * *

**365: Day 72**

**Characters: Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Missing You**

Alex Blake entered her home shortly after midnight with an exhausted sigh. The case had been rough and long. And when it was finally solved, the team decided not to wait until morning to head home. They were all ready for their own beds and willing to take the late night flight to get there.

She made herself a cup of coffee, decaf for this time of night, and sat at her desk opening her laptop. The clock on the wall told her that it was just after 6am in central Africa, and her husband would be getting ready to begin his day. She pulled up Skype and waited to see if he came online. With such inconsistent schedules, it was a shot in the dark at trying to catch each other online. They both got into the habit of turning on their laptops and logging in to Skype, leaving it up as long as possible.

A physician with Doctors Without Borders, her husband had been away for the better part of a year. He'd been in war-torn areas, natural disasters, areas of extreme poverty. He'd seen some of the horrors of humanity, just like she had. They often took comfort in each other. Having someone who understood the emotional struggles of their work helped each of them. They could lean on each other in ways not many others could understand. The phrase 'I've had a bad day' carried so much more weight with them. They both knew the phrase didn't need any other details or description, for reliving their bad days was not something either wanted for each other. For them, the mere ability to see each other's face at least once a week was something to be cherished.

Blake drank her coffee and checked her email, waiting patiently in the hopes of hearing that well-known ring tone of an incoming Skype call. After reading the third message, she finally heard it and smiled as she connected the call.

"Boy am I glad to see you," she smiled as her husband's face lit up the screen.

"Hi beautiful. You're a sight for sore eyes."

"You've been in the jungle too long," she laughed. "I'm a mess."

"Long night?"

"Yeah. We just got in about an hour ago." She ran her fingers through her hair. "Not a case I'd like to repeat ever again."

"Sounds like a rough one."

"The worst. Tell me about you. You've got quite a tan going on." She grinned and winked at him.

"Are you coming onto me, Mrs. Blake?"

"Maybe a little," she laughed, causing him to laugh.

"I'll tell you," he began to talk about his day, "things are finally starting to look up here. It still never ceases to amaze me the things humanity will do to humanity." He shook his head. "But being out here and maybe making a tiny little dent in the problem makes it worth it."

"Yes, it does," she nodded knowingly. "It's nights like tonight that I miss you the most. I miss you everyday, but there are these nights that the only thing I want is you beside me telling me that everything will be alright."

He watched her with concern. "Are you okay, Alex?"

"Yeah," she nodded sadly. "The case was a bad one and I'm just missing you more than usual. I'm ready for you to be home."

"I know the feeling. This has been a rough trip. I'm hoping to be home sometime in May. If things keep going the way they are now, that's a distinct possibility."

She smiled as he finally gave her a tentative date for his return. "I can't wait."

"Me either. I've missed you way too much."

He checked the time and sighed. "I have to go. Try to get some rest."

"I will. Be careful out there."

"Will do. I love you."

"I love you, too."

They blew each other a kiss and logged off. Once the screen was blank, Alex let a few tears fall. Two more months. Just two more months and he would be home and in her arms. She shut down her laptop, changed her clothes and went to bed. She curled her arms around his pillow and went to sleep with his smile playing in her head.

* * *

_03/13/2013_


	73. Day 73: The Book and its Cover

**A/N: Well, now we've seen Hotch and Rossi shooting pool, JJ with her family, Morgan with his dog, Prentiss with her cat, Garcia with her fluffy pillows, and Blake Skyping with her husband. That leaves one more Profiler to go. How does Spencer Reid relax, you ask? Let's find out...**

* * *

**365: Day 73**

**Characters: Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Book and its Cover**

Spencer Reid arrived home at a decent hour for a change. They were in the office for the day which gave them all the much needed opportunity to catch up on the constantly growing stack of paperwork that adorned all their desks. He'd signed his name so much that he felt a cramp so deep in his right hand he thought for a fleeting moment it may be permanent. A gentle massage of the problem areas, and some stretching and flexing exercises helped to relieve it.

He'd picked up Chinese take out on his way home, complete with plastic fork. He dished about half the rice and sesame chicken onto a plate and stored the rest in the refrigerator for the next night. He took the plate to the small desk in the corner of his apartment and ate while he wrote his daily letter to his mother. He paused often to stretch the muscles in his hand to avoid another cramp. Though using a computer to type his letters would be easier, he and his mother both appreciated the time, effort, and sentiment it took to construct a hand written letter. They were just better.

After finishing dinner and sealing and stamping his letter, he went to take a shower. The hot steamy water helped relax the tense muscles in his neck, shoulders, and back, as well as his hand. He washed his hair and body, then stood under the hot spray until the water temperature dropped. He got out, dried off, and dressed in warm sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He went into his kitchen where a fresh pot of coffee awaited him. Even at night he drank his coffee fully caffeinated and sugary. Once it was perfect, he took his mug into the den.

He paused beside the end table nestled on the side of his sofa and stared at the hand sculpted chess board, game in progress. He was playing against himself using some of the toughest, most strategic techniques he knew to make the game as difficult as possible. Each night he would make one move. Tonight was white's move. He studied the board carefully, looking at all angles and computing probabilities of safety/danger in each move while sipping his coffee from time to time before finally making his selection. After making his move, he rotated the board 180 degrees so that black's "home field" was now to the outside of the table and white's "home field" was to the sofa. Tomorrow night was black's move.

He then went to his bookshelf and browsed his extensive collection. Writing to his mother always brought back the few fond memories of his childhood when she would read to him from some of her favorite works of 15th century literature. He paused and smiled as he gently ran his fingers down the leather-bound spine of Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales". His edition was very old. Not an original by any means, but well over 100 years old. It was part of his mother's collection of works. He pulled the book down and took it to the sofa. He laid with his back propped up on pillows and his feet resting on the center cushion, knees bent so he could rest the book against his legs. He purposely slowed his reading speed down to 10,000 words per minute so he could savor the storytelling experience. Though he knew the book by heart, he still liked to read it from time to time, to remember the feeling of hearing those stories for the first time as his mother read them to him.

When he finished every tale, he gently closed the book and rested his hand on the intricately embossed leather cover.

"Thanks, Mom," he whispered before placing the book back into its home on the top shelf of his bookcase.

He turned off most of the lights, leaving his hallway "emergency" light shining (he refused to call it a night light) before tucking himself into bed with the hopes of getting a good night's sleep.

* * *

_03/14/2013_

* * *

**A/N 2: Tomorrow night's chapter may be late. After work I'm having dinner with family and then we're all going to see Elton John in concert! So I won't be able to write until afterward. It is likely to be after midnight central time before it is posted. Didn't want anyone to think I'd missed a day when it's not posted around it's normal time. :)**

**Have a good night everyone!**


	74. Day 74: The Candle In The Wind

**A/N: *sigh* Well, our Elton John concert was cancelled tonight due to "medical reasons". I haz a sad! :*( **

**On the upside, however, Sand 'n Sable mentioned something in her review to last night's chapter that gave me an idea. A "Candle In The Wind" story! Not exactly Elton John's version, but the Aaron Hotchner version. (No, there will not be singing or mentions of Marilyn Monroe!) This involves a little more insight into Hotch's thoughts during The Replicator saga. So here you go!**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 74**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Haley Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Candle In The Wind**

Aaron Hotchner knelt in front of the grave of his first love. As he'd done many times with his son as they talked to Haley in the three-plus years since her death, he brought along a candle in a small glass dome-shaped holder. He lit the candle in its holder and sat it on the corner of her gravestone.

"Hi Haley," he spoke softly. "I'm sorry it's been a while. I guess you know why I'm here."

Once again, danger lurked just around the corner from their family, this time in the form of The Replicator. They were all taking the threat very seriously and even though he hadn't made any threats beyond the seven individual members of their team, they weren't taking any chances with their families. After all, Foyet hadn't made specific threats beyond Aaron until the attack. And three months later Haley Hotchner was dead and Jack Hotchner was in extreme danger. They were not about to let that scenario happen again. But Aaron the father was having trouble separating himself from Aaron the Supervisory Special Agent.

A father's concern for a child who had already seen far too many dangers and experienced far too many heartbreaks in his young life, and an agent's determination to prevent any more loss of life at the hands of this madman were like two emotional freight trains on a collision course in his head. He spent far more time awake than asleep at night now. He spent a lot of that time standing in Jack's doorway or sitting on the floor next to his bed. His constant, fierce protector.

He didn't want Jack to pick up on his fears. His son should be running and playing. He should be carefree and happy. He should be watching Saturday morning cartoons and wrestling with his action figures and playing soccer and enjoying school and friends. He shouldn't be worrying about his father and his scary job. He shouldn't be worrying about what lurked around the corner.

He huffed and buried his hand in his hair. "I can't believe this is happening again. This is different than Foyet. He's not targeting me specifically, but the team as a whole. I still can't shake the feeling that Jack might be in danger. Anyone who knows me or has studied me at all knows that the most important thing in my world is our son. And the easiest way to get to me is through him.

"You gave your life protecting our son, Haley. I can't let anything happen to him. I can't let your death be for nothing." He let one solitary tear escape down his cheek. "I can't lose him, too. I just... I need to know I'm not the only one protecting him. I need to know you're there with him, watching over him too."

A gentle breeze blew across the cemetery at his back. And yet, the candle remained lit, protected by its glass dome.

That was the only answer he needed.

* * *

_03/15/2013_


	75. Day 75: The Strauss-inator

**A/N: This one is for Z. :)**

* * *

**365: Day 75**

**Characters: David Rossi, Erin Strauss**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Strauss-inator**

Erin Strauss was in the office on a Saturday, which was a rarity, but she needed the extra time this week. Her teams seemed to be working case after case without a break and the paperwork was adding up. She needed to get these files signed and sent to the Director to officially close the cases. She was taken by surprise when there was a knock at her office door.

"Come in."

David Rossi entered her office and sat in front of her desk, crossing one leg over the other, foot resting on his knee, and stared at her.

"You're here on a Saturday, David?" she raised an eyebrow at him. "I somehow find that hard to believe."

"I was in the neighborhood," he shrugged.

"I call bullshit," she said, causing him to laugh. "Why are you really here, David?"

"Maybe being around Profilers is beginning to rub off on you a little bit."

She simply continued to stare at him, so he got to the point of this visit.

"I want to know what your plan is."

"I'm sorry?"

"For The Replicator case."

The confusion set in deeper as her brow furrowed. "I'm not following you."

"Aaron thinks you're going to pull us off this case."

"The only way that will happen is if the order comes from over my head. I told you all you had my support."

"We know that. But we don't need your support out there. We need your support right here. In this arena. Politics is your sport, Erin, not ours."

"David, I have superiors to answer to, just like you. You don't think they've heard my argument? Nobody knows this case better than you and your team. But the longer it goes unsolved, the more tied my hands become. If they decide to pull you from this case, there won't be anything I can do about it."

"My turn to call bullshit."

"What are you talking about?" she huffed.

"You run one of the most successful teams in the Bureau. You have more pull than you realize."

"That same successful team also has numerous suspensions, reprimands, and a tendency to go rogue when the mood strikes. Not everyone in the Bureau's upper management has the confidence in you that I have. I'm trying to protect you all here."

"We don't need you to protect us, Erin. We need you to stand up for us and not back down. We don't need the nice repentant Erin Strauss right now. We need the Strauss-inator."

She outright laughed. "The what?"

He chuckled as well. "The bitch, Erin. We need the bitch."

She laughed a borderline sinister laugh, but he could see the wheels turning in her head. She was formulating a plan.

"Tell Aaron not to worry. You all take care of finding this bastard. I'll take care of the politics."

"That's all I ask."

"Good. Now go away. I have work to do."

He got up to leave, pausing at her office door. "Erin?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

A slight half smile was her response.

* * *

_03/16/2013_


	76. Day 76: St Patty's Bracketology

**A/N: Hi again everyone! Hope you've all had a lovely weekend. Happy St. Patty's Day! And for you college basketball fans out there, Happy Bracketology Day! I'm not much of a basketball fan, but I've made my picks. Have you? **

**As a side note, I made a slight correction in the previous chapter. The day should have been Saturday, not Sunday.**

* * *

**365: Day 76**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**St. Patty's Bracketology**

It was a rainy, cool Sunday in Quantico as many residents took to the local bars and pubs to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Many patrons were decked out in green from head to toe. There were shamrock top hats and shamrock glasses. Even the employees were participating in the party atmosphere, wearing green beads and hats as well. Holding true to tradition, many local watering holes were serving green beer as the house special. One such pub was currently playing host to a rather eclectic group of seven seated at a round table in a corner.

"First round is on me," David Rossi offered.

"Sounds good to me," Derek Morgan accepted.

"Me, too," Alex Blake agreed.

"Me, three!" Penelope Garcia piped up.

"I'll take one," Spencer Reid surprised them all. He usually wasn't one to drink when they all went out, and when he did, it was rarely beer. But really, how could he pass up green beer? It was tradition.

"None for me," Aaron Hotchner shook his head. "I can't stay long. It's a school night."

"Same here," JJ concurred. "Well, a pre-school night, anyway."

"Aw man! Boo!" Garcia pouted.

"Sorry, babe," JJ wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Welcome to parenthood."

"Alright," Rossi waived over their waitress, "five beers and two sodas."

"And wings," Hotch added. "I've got to at least have some wings before I leave."

"Hell yeah," Morgan agreed. "Now you're talking."

"Oh, and cheese sticks!" JJ chimed in. "I love cheese sticks."

"Okay, so that's five beers, two sodas, I guess three orders of wings and two orders of cheese sticks," Rossi told the waitress. "Sound right?" he looked at the others, who all nodded in agreement.

"Coming right up," she smiled at this interesting band of friends.

Above the bar, multiple television screens displayed various sporting events. The most prominent being the NCAA college basketball tournament picks. "Bracketology" it was called. Sixty-four of the top college basketball teams in the country were entered into a single-elimination tournament to determine the National Champion. The teams were divided into four brackets of sixteen teams. Over the course of two weeks, teams would play, whittling the field all the way down to two teams who would play for the championship. Hotch was watching the screens, as was Reid, basketball being the one sport he somewhat followed. Hotch was watching for Georgetown's placement. Reid was watching for UNLV.

Teams for the Midwest bracket were named first. Neither of their teams were in that bracket.

As their drinks and food arrived, the teams for the South bracket were announced. Hotch gave a resounding "Yeah!" over the conversation, wing in hand halfway to his mouth, when it was announced that the Georgetown Hoyas were the #2 seed in the bracket. Starting at such a high seed, they had a very strong chance of making it deep into the tournament.

"What is it with men and sports?" Garcia looked at Morgan.

"It's all about competition, Mama," Morgan winked at her. "Men are competitive by nature, but we can't all be professional athletes."

"Yeah, and I'm too short to play pro basketball," Hotch added.

Garcia looked confused. "You're over six feet tall, oh fearless leader. That's hardly short."

"It is when the shortest guy on the other team is six-six," Rossi replied.

"Actually, the average height of professional basketball players over the past 20 years is six foot seven," Reid supplied.

"Wow," Blake looked surprised. "You are short."

JJ nearly shot her soda out of her nose at the shocked look on Hotch's face. The others got a good laugh at his expense.

"Very funny," he glared. But his laughing eyes betrayed him, and they all laughed more.

Reid was very happy to see that, as the East bracket was announced, his UNLV Rebels were the #5 seed. In a field of 16, 5 was a solid position.

"So both of my boys are happy. Very good," Garcia raised her glass of green beer. "May the best man win."

"Here, here!" Blake raised her glass as well. The others all followed suit and clinked glasses.

Hotch ate a few more wings before checking his watch. "I've got to get going."

"Yeah, me too," JJ sighed. They both dropped some money on the table to cover their part of the tab.

"Oh, that's just not right," Garcia moped. "No more Sunday parties until summer. That way everyone can stay and play."

"I'm game for that," JJ said, giving her a hug.

"We'll see everyone tomorrow," Hotch said, waving goodbye.

As they were making their way to the door, the West bracket was announced. The #8 seed made JJ stop and turn around. "Yeah!" Her arms went into the air. "Pennsylvania representing!" The #8 seed belonged to the Pittsburgh Panthers. The others laughed at her excitement. And they all knew what that meant...

Three of them had teams in the tournament.

Now the game was on!

* * *

_03/17/2013_

* * *

_*Just in case anyone is wondering... UNLV stands for University of Nevada - Las Vegas._


	77. Day 77: Thank You

**A/N: Oh. My. Stars! You guys! You are too good to me! I hug you all! 1009 reviews! You all make me smile and make my heart soar. I appreciate you all so much. Thank you for all the support!**

**This chapter is very short, mainly because I'm very sleepy and it's getting late. But the chapter name says it all...**

* * *

**365: Day 77**

**Characters: David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Thank You**

David Rossi stood at his office window looking out over the bullpen. Spencer Reid was working diligently on a stack of case files. There was a black film canister sitting in a place of honor atop his 'complete' box. Derek Morgan was standing behind his chair messing up his 'pretty boy' haircut and laughing. Jennifer Jareau sat across from him, throwing small paper balls at Morgan. Penelope Garcia emerged from the breakroom with two mugs of coffee, dropping one off to Alex Blake, then swatting Morgan's arm once her hand was free. Alex sat back and laughed at this motley crew she was beginning to feel a part of.

He watched as the Unit Chief, his best friend, walked through the bullpen fresh from a meeting. He looked grim, which was his normal state after having to play politics for over an hour. He chuckled as he watched the others scramble to look normal and professional, and failing miserably. Even Hotchner cracked a smile.

Dave thought back to all the ups and downs this team had faced together. All the changes they'd had to endure. It was because of one of those changes that he was even here. Jason Gideon. Because of Jason's departure, he'd come back to a job he loved. He'd almost forgotten how much he loved it in all the years he was away. But he'd gained so much more than a new chapter in his illustrious career.

He'd gained a family.

"Thank you, Jason," he whispered, smiling, before turning from his window and returning to his desk and his own stack of paperwork.

* * *

_03/18/2013_


	78. Day 78: Making Amends

**A/N: Evening once again friends! Hope you are all well. Here's tonight's chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 78**

**Characters: David Rossi, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Making Amends**

Alex Blake made her way up the stairs bypassing her Unit Chief's office and heading for the one man who could possibly give her some answers. She was having a rather baffling few days. She knocked on his already open door before entering.

"Hey Dave, you got a second?"

"Sure. What's up?"

She closed the door and sat in the comfy visitors chair across his desk.

"What's up with Strauss?"

"What do you mean?" He looked confused.

"She's being nice to me."

He raised his eyebrows. "Aaaaand?"

"It's freaking me out!"

He laughed out loud. "Is it really that far out of the realm of possibility that she's being nice?"

She looked at him like he had two heads. "Are you serious?!"

He choked on his laugh. "Well, I was. But I'm guessing Erin Strauss being nice is not so much in your realm of possibilities."

"You seem to forget that the only version of Erin Strauss I've ever seen until recently is the Dragon Lady. Seeing this new nice Strauss is like watching 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'."

"Wow," he continued to chuckle. "That's pretty severe."

"Come on, Dave. What's going on here? Have I wandered into some alternate reality? Fallen into a time warp?"

"No," he composed himself and got serious. "No time warp, no body snatchers, nothing like that."

"Then please explain to me what's going on."

"You have to understand," he began. "This team has been through a hell of a lot in a few short years. Erin Strauss is no exception. We've all dealt with a lot of personal demons. She took a leave of absence for a few months last year to deal with hers. The story isn't mine to tell, but when she came back, we all knew some things had changed. For the better. She's no longer under the impression that everyone is out to get her or take her position from her. In turn, she's not out to get everyone else. She also realized that she'd burned a hell of a lot of bridges over the years. Not all of those bridges can be repaired but she's trying to make amends with those that can. You and Hotch are two of those biggest bridges. They've already mended their bridge as much as it can be mended. And it took them several years to get to this point where they can understand each other. She's trying to do the same with you. Your bridge is the biggest one, Alex. And it's going to take a very long time. But she is trying."

She contemplated everything he said and sighed. "A lot of what you just said depends a great deal on trust. I don't have much trust left to spare."

"Then just keep trusting us. We have your back, Alex." He infused as much sincerity into his voice as possible. "Just take it a day at a time. And don't completely write her off. Contrary to popular belief, she is human. And she is genuine."

She nearly snorted. "Still sounds like Body Snatchers to me. But I'll try."

* * *

_03/19/2013_


	79. Day 79: Helping Hands

**A/N: Good ep tonight! That's all I'll say just in case some haven't seen it. Also, here's the spoiler alert. This will be a post ep to 8x17 "The Gathering", specifically regarding the last scene with Reid and Hotch. If you haven't seen the ep yet, stop here!**

* * *

**365: Day 79**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Helping Hands**

He really hoped that bringing up Maeve would encourage Spencer Reid to talk about his loss. Instead, Reid had simply walked away. He was obviously still holding in anger and sorrow, and maybe a little guilt concerning her death. Hotch worried that Reid's refusal to discuss Maeve's death would eventually take its toll on his emotional state. He feared that could lead him down some very dangerous roads. He needed a way to help him deal with his personal tragedy, but wasn't sure how to reach him. But he knew someone who did.

Jennifer Jareau was already home when she got the text message...

_If you have a minute, call me. Re: Reid. Not an emergency. -AH_

"Everything okay?" Will asked after seeing her furrowed brow as she checked her phone.

"Yeah. Hotch is worried about Reid." She explained to him what happened at the end of their last case and how Hotch had planned to talk to him after speaking with her and Morgan about the outcome. She was guessing it hadn't gone well.

The couple checked on their sleeping son, then Will excused himself so JJ could speak to Hotch privately. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, JJ."

"Hey. What's going on?"

"I'm concerned about Reid. I know the two of you are very close. Has he talked to you at all about Maeve's death?"

"Not really," she sighed. "I try every once in a while but he shuts down pretty quick."

He sighed as well. "I mentioned it tonight hoping he would open up and talk to me, and he walked away. We have to find some way to reach him, JJ. The last thing I want to do is sit him down, but he has to keep his head in the game. He's keeping score again. If he keeps this up I won't have a choice."

"I thought so," she agreed. "He went completely off script tonight. Granted, I don't think staying on script would have stopped our Unsub from suicide. He was determined from the moment he saw us."

"I don't question that, JJ. I'm worried that he's making decisions in the field based on how the situation with Maeve and her stalker played out. Doing that not only puts him at risk, but puts his partner at risk as well. Every situation is different. He can't base his decisions on an old case, no matter how personal. You and I both know that firsthand."

"Yeah, we do." She looked back at her bedroom where her husband was getting ready for bed. She almost lost him less than a year ago. "I'll try to talk to him again, Hotch. You're right, we've got to find a way to help him deal with this."

"Thank you, JJ," he said. "He knows we were all concerned after the last case. Maybe that will help him to open up."

"Let's hope so."

"I'm not asking you to break his confidence. I don't need to know details unless he wants me to know them. I just need to know that he's talking to someone and dealing with his loss. All I ask is you let me know if you think he's processing his loss."

"I can do that."

"Thanks, JJ."

"Anytime, Hotch."

After hanging up, Hotch felt a little better. He knew JJ would try her best to get through to him.

After all, that's what friends are for.

* * *

_03/20/2013_


	80. Day 80: Darkness and Light

**A/N: 80 days and counting! Thanks to all of you for sticking with this little collection! **

**Going a little different route with this one. Let me know what you think, good or bad. I'm curious to know your thoughts.**

* * *

**365: Day 80**

**Characters: The Victim**

**Rating: T (dark imagery)**

* * *

**Darkness and Light**

Do you ever feel like you're in complete and utter darkness? A darkness so thick that everything around you is swallowed by it? A darkness so suffocating that it consumes the air and you can't breathe? You can't feel. You can't see. You can't think. It's just dark. Always so dark.

I'm there now.

I've lost count of the days. Lost track of time. I have no idea how long I've been in this hell. I have no idea where I am. I have no idea if anyone is looking for me. Or if it's been so long that they've given up hope.

I'm beginning to lose sight of who I am. I try so hard to hold onto that one tiny fragile thread that reminds me of who and what I am. But with each passing moment I spend in this darkness it slips farther and farther away.

The silence is deafening. The noise is even worse.

I don't know how much longer I can hold on. The darkness is all-consuming.

It's so dark.

So cold.

I don't feel pain anymore. Don't feel hunger or thirst. I'm certain that's not a good thing.

I know the darkness is beginning to consume me like it has everything else around me.

But then I hear it.

A noise like no other.

A breaking door frame.

Running feet on the staircase.

The shouts I've been waiting for.

"FBI!"

The darkness is receding.

And finally, _finally_, it is there.

Light.

* * *

_03/21/2013_


	81. Day 81: Circle of Friends

**A/N: Good evening! Thanks for all the feedback on the previous chapter! It was a step outside the box for me, so I appreciate you all letting me know what you thought about the POV/style/imagery/etc. It does a writer good to hear those things (the good and the bad). So thanks again! :)**

**This one is dedicated to my bestest friend in the whole world, even though she doesn't read fanfiction and doesn't watch Criminal Minds, so she'll probably never see this. But today is her 34th birthday! We met when we were five years old and she's been my best pal ever since. 29 years and counting. I couldn't have asked for a greater friend! She is simply awesometastic! Because quite frankly, awesome and/or fantastic just doesn't cover it. Her birthday dinner tonight was the inspiration for this chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 81**

**Characters: David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Circle of Friends**

Sometimes while on a case, when the team returns to their hotel at the end of the day, David Rossi likes to excuse himself and spend some quiet time alone in the hotel bar. He never gets drunk. Usually only has one drink, and sometimes doesn't finish it, because he knows he needs to stay sharp at all times. He knows that a call could come in the middle of the night regarding another victim or a clue or a promising tip, and waking half drunk or hungover does not leave a man with all his faculties running at 100 percent, which is what the victims of these heinous crimes deserve.

Tonight was one such night. It had been a long, grueling day and he needed some time to himself to regroup. He didn't need to discuss serial killers or go over theories or profiles. He just needed a break.

This particular hotel housed a popular bar and Asian grill, serving food until midnight, but serving drinks until 3:00am. He took a seat at the bar, surprised at how quiet it seemed to be regardless of the fact that about 20 people currently occupied it. The bartender sat his scotch in front of him and left him to his thoughts. He looked at all the various patrons. Try as he might, he couldn't turn off the Profiler in him. He watched one couple that seemed to be trying way too hard to convince themselves they were in love and knew they wouldn't last. He watched another couple enjoying the simple pleasure of each others company and knew they would.

It was the small group of seven at the corner table that truly caught his attention. Someone was celebrating a birthday, judging by the gift bags around her. She was an attractive red-head with an infectious laugh. Beside her was a tall man who was clearly her husband. He couldn't stop smiling at her. A wonderful love shown in his eyes when he watched her open her gifts. There was another young couple there, too. Obviously friends of the birthday girl and her husband. There was great laughter between the couples. There was a little fun, lighthearted teasing, and a little bar stool dancing to the soft music coming from the PA system. The two men of the group seemed to be taking turns to see whose dance moves were most likely to cause the birthday girl to snort when she laughed. Yes, they were keeping a tally. There were others there as well: An older gentleman - the birthday girl's father - and his wife and young stepson. A blended family, but family nonetheless. Rossi watched as the group of friends made it a point to include the boy in their conversations, joking and laughing with him so as not to exclude him or make him feel he was "too young" to hang out with them. Even the parents got in on the fun. And judging by the witty banter between the father and the friends, it was plain to see that this group had been part of each others lives for a very long time.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched all of the interactions at the table. They reminded him so much of his own blended family. The quirky band of brothers and sisters that he traveled with, fought crime with, and trusted with his life more than any group of people on the planet. His thoughts immediately went to Spencer Reid and Derek Morgan as he watched the birthday girl's husband try to teach the boy how to eat with chop sticks. He smiled as the boy successfully picked a piece of chicken from his stir fry with the chop sticks and made it to his mouth without dropping it. He was quite proud of himself. After a few more attempts, the boy opted for his fork and a faster method of getting the food to his mouth.

He couldn't help but think of the three incredible women that anchored his team as he watched the three women at the table enjoying a little girl talk and ribbing their male counterparts. No matter the situation, the women seemed to always have a comeback ready and waiting for their men. They were feisty, smart, witty, and never backed down. And did it all with smiles and dancing eyes.

And then there was the father, who reminded him so much of Aaron. He was often part of the banter of the table, but there were moments where he would sit back and watch his family with a smile. He was their guardian, their protector, their source of strength, and often times their punching bag. The man was very obviously proud of the family around him. He had a beautiful daughter and a respectful son-in-law who made her smile. He had his other "daughter" and "son-in-law" he'd gained through a near life-long friendship developed between the two girls. And he had his new family, his wife and her son, who proudly called him Dad.

David waved the bartender over. He handed him his credit card.

"The group at the table in the corner. I'd like to take care of their tab. Would you put it on my card, please?"

"Are you sure, sir?" the bartender asked. "It's a fairly hefty tab."

"I'm more than sure. And do you have something I could leave a note on?"

"Of course." He pulled a pad from under the bar and handed it, along with a pen, to Rossi. "I'll take care of this right away."

"Thank you."

While the bartender was gone, he wrote his note. He handed it to him when he returned with his credit card.

"Would you give this to them after I leave?"

"Sure. That was very generous of you, sir."

"They remind me of my family," Dave nodded. He signed his receipt, leaving a generous tip, and left the bar.

Once he was gone, the bartender informed the group that their tab had been paid in full by another patron and handed them the note. The father read it aloud to the group, after which they all seemed to gravitate a little closer to each other, show each other a little extra love and appreciation. And as seemed to be their nature, they all smiled.

_I was at the bar earlier and couldn't help but notice your group. Though you may not realize it, you had a profound effect on me this evening. You all remind me of the incredible family I have. We are not related by blood, we are family nonetheless. I could see traits of all of us in you. The fun, the wit, the sincerity, the love. Thank you for reminding me how wonderful that family is. Hopefully we will always remain as close as you all seem to be._

_- David Rossi_

* * *

_03/22/2013_

* * *

_A/N2: Yes, the group of seven at the Asian restaurant is us. And we had a blast doing all of the things mentioned above (including the chop sticks!)_


	82. Day 82: Stormy Night

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews on the last chapter. My apologies, I haven't been able to reply to them all as I normally do. It's been a busy day! I promise I'll reply to them all tomorrow. You guys are too important to be left hanging. :)**

* * *

**365: Day 82**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Stormy Night**

"Daddy?" Jack softly whispered, standing next to his dad's bed clutching his dinosaur. He hoped upon hope that his dad was still awake. Aaron opened his eyes and looked at his little boy. One glance and he noticed the tension in the boy's body and fear in the boy's eyes.

"What's wrong, buddy? Are you okay?"

"I had a bad dream," he sniffled. "Can I sleep in here with you?"

"Of course you can," he said, lifting his seven year old into his arms and tucking him in beside him. Jack snuggled as close to his dad as he could get. Aaron watched him for a few seconds and noticed the tension was still there. He rubbed his back gently and kissed his head.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream? Sometimes talking about it can help it go away."

Jack shook his head. "You already know what it was about."

He sighed and rested his hand on his back. It was nights like this that reminded him of how young his son still was. He was mature for his age, quiet and serious like his dad, so much so that sometimes Aaron had to remind himself that Jack was still just a little boy who sometimes needed his dad's strength and reassurance.

Jack's nightmares about his mother's death were few and far between these days, thankfully. But it seemed that stormy nights had a triggering effect on him. He could only reason that, to his son's then four year old ears, the gunshots that killed Haley sounded like loud thunder. His logic was confirmed when another loud crack of thunder shook the windows and Jack whimpered and tensed against him. Aaron heard the sniffles and knew his son was near tears in his fear. Aaron turned on his bedside lamp and rolled onto his side to face his son. He wrapped him up tight and held him close to his chest.

"I've got you, buddy," he whispered soothingly. "I've always got you. And I'll always find a way to protect you. Always." He kissed his head again. "I promise."

It was several minutes before Jack began to relax. Aaron continued to whisper to him, telling him how strong and brave he was and how proud he was of him. Finally his voice won out over the thunder and Jack completely relaxed.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

A smile broke out across Aaron's face. "I love you too, son. You want me to leave the light on?"

Jack nodded.

"Okay." Aaron pulled the covers up around Jack's shoulders and ran his fingers through his light brown hair. "Goodnight, buddy."

"Night, Daddy."

Jack fell asleep quickly, feeling completely safe in his father's arms. Aaron lay awake for several minutes, content just to watch over his boy. Once he was convinced that Jack was sleeping soundly, he allowed himself to succumb to the night.

* * *

_03/23/2013_


	83. Day 83: Rainy Days

**A/N: *long a/n warning* My apologies once again. This busy weekend has kept me from replying to reviews like I normally do. So I'm going to do a big special "Thank You!" shout-out right here so that I can get back on track. Soooo for the last two days...**

**Gemini-Victoria, Wotumba1, P95000, Sdia75 (I promise to answer all your questions), Prettymind2 (holy cow, you did a LOT of reading quickly!), Sand 'n Sable, Brummie10, Rutland, Shelly . Hoffer . 7 (sorry, stupid thing won't let me type your name without the spaces! GAH!), Jerseybelle, Annber03, AlexandriaZ, BBhotblooded, D Claymore Fanfiction (thanks for the FB review!) Rockhotch31 and Cat Jenkins...**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Your kind daily words of encouragement help keep me writing and keep the ideas flowing. I thank you all for taking the time to read and review, for letting me know what you think, even for dropping some suggestions now and then. Also, thank you for the fun, energetic conversations. They are always enjoyable! You all make me smile! A lot! **BIG HUGS** to you all!**

**This chapter is a continuation of last night's "Stormy Nights". Hope you enjoy! Oh, and just in case anyone was wondering... the three teams picked by our crime fighting sports fans in "St. Patty's Bracketology" were all eliminated in the first round of the tournament! ALL THREE! *shakes head* Poor Profilers...**

* * *

**365: Day 83**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Rainy Days**

Aaron Hotchner woke up a little before 7:00am to the sound of the rain gently beating down on his bedroom window. He looked to his side to see his boy still firmly snuggled beside him, dinosaur clutched firmly under his arm. He was sleeping peacefully with no signs of last night's nightmare anywhere to be seen on his serene face. Aaron smiled and place a gentle kiss on his head before getting out of bed and pulling the covers back tightly over his son.

Jack Hotchner woke warm and snug in his dad's bed. The bedside lamp was still on, but no longer needed as the sun was trying to peek out from behind the clouds and through the blinds. Then he smelled it. Bacon and eggs! He smiled big and worked his way out of the covers, went to the bathroom, then went downstairs where he knew his dad was making a special Sunday morning breakfast.

Aaron pulled biscuits from the oven and sat them on the stove, just in time to feel two small arms encircle his legs.

"Hey, buddy. You hungry?"

"Mmm-hmm," he nodded.

"Good. You want milk or orange juice?"

"Can I have both?" he gave his father that special Jack Hotchner raised eyebrow pleading look.

Hotch shook his head and chuckled quietly. "Yeah, I guess. Go sit down."

"Yes!" Jack gave a little fist pump and sat at the table while Aaron loaded up their plates and got their drinks. Coffee for him, milk _and_ OJ for Jack. He sat next to his son and they clinked forks as they dove into breakfast. He kept watching Jack to see if there were any residual effects from last night, but he found none. He simply saw his smiling seven year old bacon fanatic.

"So, feel like hanging out with your old man all day today?" he asked as he spread grape jelly onto a biscuit and took a bite.

"Really?" Jack's face lit up as he finished off his last piece.

"Yep. No work for me today," he smiled. "And I've got plans for us."

"Like what?" Jack's excitement was peaking.

"Did you see the living room?"

He shook his head.

"Why don't you go take a look."

He jumped up from his seat and ran to see what his dad had done.

"WOW!" He yelled as he saw the enormous fort his dad had built around the television. He'd moved the couch and several chairs into a rectangle, draping sheets over the top, and using pillows and the couch cushions as side supports. It was much bigger than their last one. And the TV was _inside_ the fort! He poked his head under the sheets to look inside. Several of his favorite toys and games were already inside. There were coloring books and regular books on the coffee table (also inside the fort). And his "cape" was on the couch waiting for him.

He ran back into the kitchen and nearly knocked Aaron off his chair with the force of his bear hug. "That's so awesome!"

"So you like that, huh?" he grinned at his son's excitement.

"You're the best dad ever!"

He outright laughed at that. "Thanks, buddy. Go get dressed and brush your teeth while I clean this up and we'll play."

Jack ran from the kitchen to do as his dad asked. What he didn't know was Aaron's plan was two-fold. Yes, he absolutely was all in on having a day full of fun with his son. Be he'd also seen the morning's weather report. He knew the day was going to be rainy, possibly stormy again, and he didn't want his son to have another rough night. He would distract him from the rain and the wind and the thunder, and give him a day filled with fun and games and mac & cheese. And hopefully his son's dreams would be happy ones tonight.

He went to get dressed and brush his own teeth, and when he returned, his son was already wearing his bed sheet cape, standing outside the fort waiting for him.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Lead the way!"

And into the fort they went.

* * *

_03/24/2013_


	84. Day 84: Where's The Sunshine?

**A/N: Hey peeps! Are any of you as sick of winter as I am? I am so beyond ready for spring! And I'm not even dealing with snow like I know some of you are. Stay warm, peeps!**

**Also, thanks to guest reviewer judithya88 for pointing out an error in the previous chapter. It has been fixed.**

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**365: Day 84**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Where's The Sunshine?**

"Ugh!" Garcia huffed. "I'm so sick of this snow!"

"You and me both, baby girl," Morgan answered.

"I need some sunshine. Esther needs to put her top down and let the sunshine in! She's not made to be cooped up for this long!"

"Neither are you, apparently," Morgan snickered.

"Damn right I'm not!" She flailed her arms. "This tech goddess was made for warmth and brightness and color and happiness. Not all this cold gloominess and dreary colors and being hidden beneath layers of fleece. I hate fleece! Seriously, this weather is only fit for polar bears."

Morgan was trying not to laugh, but he was failing miserably. Garcia looked a bit like a polar bear today in her big poofy white winter jacket. But there was no way in hell he would ever say that out loud! After all, he had learned a thing or two about women while working so closely with three of them. One very important rule of thumb... never compare a woman to an animal. Ever.

He followed Garcia as she went to the window and began looking out the window at several different angles.

"What are you looking for, mama?"

"The sun!"

"This is really getting to you, isn't it?" He was surprised. He thought after so many years in Virginia, she'd be used to it by now.

"Yes! Spring officially began a few days ago. There should be flowers blooming and birds singing and instead, everything is white! I think Mother Nature is drunk."

"I would definitely agree with that," Morgan laughed. "Come on, Hotch has a case for us."

She sighed and made her way toward the conference room, muttering all the while. "I hope it's somewhere warm."

"Our luck, it will be Alaska."

"If it is, I quit."

"Me, too."

The two friends linked arms and made their way to the conference room.

* * *

_03/25/2013_


	85. Day 85: Crimes In Winter

**A/N: So apparently the email alert system was being a bit screwy last night. Story updates and reviews were not being received in email. Hopefully everything is fixed tonight. I'm not sure if I got all of your reviews, so I'm going to do another group shout out, just in case. And for those of you who had a question or two, I will respond to them very soon. :) So without further ado, Special Thanks to...*takes deep breath*... Annber03, Rockhotch31, Persephone Muse, Gemini-Victoria, Cat Jenkins, AlexandriaZ, Wotumba1, Jerseybelle, TheMysteriousGeek2345, P95000, Sand n' Sable, Tannerose5, shelley. hoffer. 7, and Doc. blu xx. Thanks everybody!**

**This is a very short continuation of Day 84 "Where's The Sunshine?" and is dedicated to my pal, Rockhotch31. You'll see why! ;)**

* * *

**365: Day 85**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Crimes In Winter**

Morgan and Garcia entered the conference room as everyone else was taking their seats and pulling up their tablets. Hotch was standing near the screen ready to present their newest case that had come directly to him. Morgan took one look at the crime scene photos and groaned out loud.

"Problem?" Hotch raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going to Alaska?" he asked looking at the snow covered crime scene, and back at Garcia.

"No, but it will certainly feel like it. It's cold enough."

"Where are we going?"

"Wisconsin," Rossi piped up. "Land of cheese, the Green Bay Packers, and snow. Lots of snow."

Morgan hung his head as Garcia let out a whine. "Why can't serial killers hibernate during the winter?"

"Amen to that," JJ said. "At this rate, they're still going to have snow on the ground in June."

"All this snow is wreaking havoc on our crime scene," Blake mentioned.

"Which is why we need to get moving."

They all began packing away their files to get ready to leave.

"With all the snow they have and the constant freezing temperatures not allowing the ground to properly thaw, they have the potential for major flooding issues when all the snow begins to melt."

"Reid," Morgan groaned. "Not now, man. Tell me about Hawaii or some other tropical island. Someplace warm. With sunshine and beaches and bikini-clad ladies."

Garcia popped him on the back of the head with her file folder. "Behave yourself, big boy."

"Yes, mama."

They all laughed and left the conference room. And all of them were agreeing with Garcia's earlier assessment. Criminals should take the winter off. Investigating a crime in the snow sucked!

* * *

_03/26/2013_


	86. Day 86: Panic and Control

**A/N: I'll keep this one short and sweet. *waves and hugs* to you all! :)**

**This one is from Aaron Hotchner's point of view. *tissue box here***

* * *

**365: Day 86**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Panic and Control**

One look at our latest victim and it's all I can do to keep standing upright. I can't look away from his face. He's so young. Barely eight years old. I can't fathom why this child is out here in the middle of nowhere, broken and bloodied. The victim of some asshole's sick, twisted fantasy. It's always difficult for me to compartmentalize the personal emotions from the professional when our cases involve children. But this is worse. I haven't felt this incapable of controlling my emotions since Foyet.

It's because this young boy is the spitting image of my son with slightly darker hair.

It strikes me to my core and takes my breath away.

I can hear the muffled sounds of someone softly calling my name, but it doesn't register.

The only thing that registers is how much this poor boy looks like my Jack.

It's crushing me. It feels like my heart and soul are on fire. My chest hurts. Burns.

I can't breathe.

It's Dave's hand on my arm that pulls me from my seemingly paralyzed state and sends me bolting from the crime scene. I can't be here right now. I have to regain control somehow. And it's not going to happen here.

I find myself behind a nearby building and slide down the wall. My suit is getting dirty, but I don't care. I put my head between my knees and bury my hands in my hair. I clinch my eyes shut and gasp a few times, my burning lungs desperate to find air. It feels like an eternity before I can breathe again. With the first deep breath comes the first sob. I fight with everything I have to regain my composure quickly, but it seems the harder I fight against them, the more the tears try to come.

I will never understand why monsters target children.

That's the trigger I need. This monster needs to be stopped. And my team and I are the ones who are going to stop him.

Finally, thankfully, the agent is starting to regain control. My crushing sorrow is being consumed by righteous anger.

It's time this monster paid for his crimes.

I can breathe again.

I finally pick my head up and lean it back against the wall. That's when I realize I'm not alone. My best friend is kneeling in front of me, shielding me. He understands why this affects me so. My breathing has finally returned to normal and I can open my eyes and look at him.

No words are exchanged. None are needed. He simply offers his hand to help me to my feet. He keeps a steadying hand on my arm. I look him in the eye and nod. He knows I'm okay. I'm ready.

Now I'm focused. Now I'm in control.

Now we can go catch this son of a bitch.

* * *

_03/27/2013_


	87. Day 87: A Profiler's Prayer

**A/N: Hi gang. This chapter is going to be very short and is a bit of a continuation on last night's chapter in that it involves the same case. I'm in a bit of a somber mood right now. **

**My family had a bit of a scare today. My cousin just had a baby this afternoon and it was feared that he had a hole in his heart. Thankfully, once he was transported to Children's Hospital, they discovered that this was not the case. They did discover, however, that his arteries are backwards. Doctors had to put in a stint, and the issue can be fixed with surgery (1-2 weeks from now, once he's grown a bit) and has a 96% survival rate. It's been a bit of a stressful evening, especially since they live nearly 500 miles away, but that latest update is some good news and has me breathing a bit easier. I think I've prayed more tonight than I have in the past five years. **

**That's actually where the idea for this chapter came from. Since David Rossi is Catholic, as am I, it seemed fitting...**

* * *

**365: Day 87**

**Characters: David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A Profiler's Prayer**

It took a little searching, but David Rossi found the only Catholic Church in this small city. He was glad to find its doors still open at the late hour. He needed to be here. The innocent ones needed him to be here.

The church was beautiful with its stained glass windows and statues that stood near the glorious altar. A holy water font hung on the wall just inside the door of the sanctuary. He dipped the tips of his fingers in and crossed himself before entering. There was a line of candles adorning one wall, all in beautiful red candleholders. He walked to the candles and found one that wasn't already burning. He put his donation in the box and lit the candle. He knelt on the cushioned kneeler and bowed his head.

He let his thoughts flow freely, hoping God would find the ones that needed His attention most. He prayed for strength and guidance. He prayed that the abilities of his team were enough. He prayed for the souls of the young victims of the crimes they were brought here to solve. He prayed for comfort and healing for the families having to make sense of such tragic loss.

Most of all, he prayed for the innocents. That they would be shielded from fear and protected from harm. That they would know laughter and happiness and joy, and not pain or suffering.

He remained in quiet reflection for a few moments before crossing himself again and standing.

He hoped his small prayer was enough.

* * *

_03/28/2013_


	88. Day 88: Good Feelings

**A/N: Hi everyone. I just wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers concerning my cousin and her new baby boy. It means a great deal to me and my family. To give you an update, basically the internal plumbing of his heart is working backwards and he wasn't getting enough oxygen. They put in a stint last night and since then he's doing much better. They were able to take him off the ventilator this afternoon, and according to my cousin, he was getting wiggly and trying to pull his tubes out. :) He will still need surgery in a week or so. And while he is still not out of the woods, these are all very good signs. So thank you all again for the prayers, warm thoughts, well wishes, and hugs. You are all very special people and I greatly appreciate everything. *BIG HUGS* to you all!**

* * *

**365: Day 88**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Good Feelings**

The team all boarded the jet for their late night flight home, and despite the hour they were all smiling and laughing with each other. None of them showed signs of wanting to catch a nap or have some quiet time. Instead, they were all enjoying each others company and celebrating the successful end to what could have been a nightmarish case.

A rarity in their recent experience, there had been no more loss of life once they arrived on this case. While two young boys did lose their lives to a sinister evildoer, thus prompting the need for the BAU to travel to the "Frozen Tundra" of Green Bay, the team were able to save three other missing boys from meeting that same fate. And in the process they dismantled a human trafficking ring that nobody knew existed. Wins didn't get much better than that.

They all took their seats and buckled their seat belts for takeoff. Once in the air, they all moved about the cabin, clustering together. Hotch started a pot of coffee, but Rossi had better things in mind. He walked past Hotch to a shelf that contained various supplies for their flights, including a bottle of single malt scotch and six glasses. Hotch smiled and shook his head as Rossi brought the items to the four-top table where his teammates were seated. He handed out glasses and filled a finger in each. They weren't all scotch drinkers, but tonight they were celebrating, and if Rossi was breaking out the Glenfiddich they were all having a taste.

Morgan wisely thought to pull out his laptop and connect with everyone's favorite Tech Goddess of Quantico. He put the laptop on the end of the table nearest the plane's wall, facing out so everyone could see, and so she could see everybody.

"Get yourself a drink, Kitten," Rossi tipped his glass in her direction. "The celebration is about to begin."

"Ready and willing to party, sir," she tilted her coffee mug toward the screen.

"Alright, people," Rossi began. "I'd like to propose a toast. To the best of the best." He paused only long enough to look each one of them in the eye. "To the seven members of this team who will stop at nothing in the name of justice for those who cannot fight for themselves. To the men and women whose bravery and courage are far greater than those of ordinary people. To never giving up."

"Here, here!"

"Here, here!"

They all stood and clinked glasses with each other, and everyone tapping their glass against the side of the laptop screen to include Penelope in their toast. They all took their time savoring the slow-burning, soothing scotch as it trickled down their throats. JJ took two sips and decided she was definitely NOT a scotch girl. Blake volunteered to finish off her drink for her. Spencer launched into a lecture about prohibition, but it was quelled before it got too far out of hand. Morgan, as usual, was joking with Garcia.

Rossi watched Hotch as Hotch watched his team, slow steady smiles crept onto their faces. Rossi went to stand beside him.

"Good feelings don't get much better than this, do they?"

"No, they don't," he solemnly supplied. "They deserve to celebrate every second of this one."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." They smiled and clinked their glasses together.

* * *

_03/29/2013_


	89. Day 89: Easter Eggs and Hair Dye

**A/N: Hi gang! This has been an incredibly busy weekend for me. Easter weekend always is. So we're having "Shout Out Day" again. I said I wasn't going to do this very often, but it's 10:30pm and I'm just now getting home! And I want to make sure I get this up before midnight. So once again, special thanks to... Rockhotch31, Tannerose5, Sand n' Sable, Cat Jenkins, AlexandriaZ, Mummacass, BBhotblooded, shelly . hoffer . 7, Jerseybelle, Pechika, Sdia75, Namira 0.0, P95000, Doc . blu xx, Gemini-Victoria, Random Reader 17, and my guest reviewer. Thank you all very much. I'm glad you all enjoyed the chapter. And thank you also for all the continued warm thoughts concerning my cousin. :)**

* * *

**365: Day 89**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Easter Eggs and Hair Dye**

Penelope Garcia delivered an ultimatum to the two parents of her beloved BAU team: There will be dyed Easter eggs for her two favorite junior G-men, or else! So at 6:00pm on Saturday night, Aaron and Jack Hotchner, and JJ, Will, and Henry Jareau-LaMontagne arrived at the outlandish apartment of their resident tech goddess. She opened the door with a flourish that was so perfectly Penelope Garcia.

Hotch, JJ, and Will all stared agape at little Henry's Godmother. She was the very definition of a walking billboard promoting the various brands of Easter goodies. The blouse and skirt were obviously hand made. Both presented the various logos and likenesses of Cadbury Creme Eggs, Peeps of various colors, a Reese's Pieces carrot, the Reester Bunny, and an assortment of bunnies and chicks.

Oh yeah... and her hair! It could have posed as an Easter egg itself with its many shades of pastel streaks.

"Awesome!" Jack and Henry hollered simultaneously.

"At least my boys have some good sense," she smiled, leaning down to envelope the two boys in a massive hug.

"That's definitely unique," Hotch said, though he was not a bit surprised. It fit her perfectly.

"How long did that take to do?" JJ asked and she shuttled the boys inside so she could close the door.

"Not long," Garcia guessed. "Maybe an hour."

"Daddy, I want my hair like that!" Henry excitedly stated.

"I don't think so, little man."

He looked up at his mama with those big blue eyes. "Pweeease!"

"No, Henry. That's Penny's thing. Lets just keep yours looking like you."

Jack glanced up at his father, pondering the same question. A raise of the eyebrow was all Jack needed to know the answer.

"Aunt Penny, where are the eggs?"

"They're in the fridge, Jackster. Why don't you go ahead and bring them out. Our dyeing station is ready for action!" She pointed to her kitchen table, which would serve also as a card table. Places were already set up for them all.

There were two wax crayons on the table for the boys to draw pictures on the eggs before dropping them into the dye. On his first one, Jack simply wrote his name and placed in the green dye - his favorite color. Henry, with his mom's help, put his name on one and placed it in the blue dye. Then Jack drew a soccer ball (in the yellow dye), and then a pirate hat (in the red dye). Henry drew some squiggly designs on a few and put on in orange and one in purple.

JJ took the crayon and drew three stick figures holding hands. Once Henry's egg was taken out of the blue dye (very bright blue!), JJ put her egg into it. Will drew some musical notes coming from a saxophone - or at least a somewhat saxophone shaped object. Hotch surprised them all by drawing a bunny rabbit. Garcia used one of the egg scooping utensils to balance her egg and hold only half in the hot pink dye. Once that end of the egg was brilliantly bright, she flipped it over and held the other end into the purple. A fitting choice for her. She then showed Jack how to do it. Henry was still having trouble keeping things balanced on the scoop. Jack's egg was green on one end and orange on the other.

They had a great time, laughing and joking and telling stories of Easter traditions in their own families while growing up. While they were talking about family time and great feasts, Garcia was struck with an idea. She told the others, who all quickly agreed with her plan and helped set things in motion. They contacted the other team members and with in ten minutes, everyone was all-in on her plan.

"That's going to be so fun! I can't wait!" Jack excitedly bounced. Henry mimicked his every move. The adults laughed at their exuberance.

All too soon it was time to go. The boys each hugged Penelope and thanked her for such a fun evening.

"You're bringing the eggs tomorrow, right?" Jack checked.

"Absolutely, my junior G-man. Gotta let them dry overnight, but they'll be ready!"

"And we can has an Easter Egg hunt?" Henry's eyes went wide and danced at the thought.

"You got it, my boy."

"Yes!" The boys shared a high five.

The two families headed out, both boys developing game plans for trying to catch the Easter Bunny and looking forward to a fun filled tomorrow.

Once their parents figured out how to get all the dye off their hands, that is...

* * *

_03/30/2013_


	90. Day 90: Easter With Family

**A/N: Thanks everyone for all your reviews on the last chapter. I'm running out of time to get this one posted, so I'm going to get busy, but I promise I'll reply to them all soon. Whew! It's been a busy two days!**

* * *

**365: Day 90**

**Characters: David Rossi, Team, and a surprise guest!**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Easter With Family**

Having the type of job that kept him bouncing from city to city so often, attendance at Sunday Mass was no longer a regularity in David Rossi's life, and hadn't been for quite some time. But there was always one service he made sure to attend whenever possible. Easter Sunday. Father Jimmy's parish offered two services on Sunday mornings; 8:00am and 11:00am. As the BAU family would be meeting at his home later that afternoon, he opted for the early service.

Last Easter they all met for dinner at Dave's home and had such a good time they decided to make it a tradition. Especially since he had a big backyard with lots of hiding places, perfect for an Easter Egg Hunt for Jack and Henry.

Dave dressed in one of his best suits and drove to Sacred Heart Catholic Church a few miles away in Manassas. He saw several cars belonging to regular parishioners he saw whenever he attended Mass. But then he noticed a few other familiar cars which caught him completely off guard. He pulled into a nearby parking space and got out of the car. When he approached the front door he noticed a familiar group of people huddled together off to the side. His BAU family. As a mix of confusion and joy decorated his face, he approached them.

"Hey, Uncle Dave!" Jack was the first to see him.

"Hey, Sport!" Dave held out his hand for a high five. "What are you all doing here?"

"We were at Garcia's last night," JJ began, "and realized none of us had any definite plans except for dinner later, so we decided to start the celebration a little early."

"And I haven't decided on a home parish since I moved up here," Will picked up where JJ left off, "so I thought this would be a good opportunity to visit." With 64% of the New Orleans population belonging to the Catholic Church, it was of little surprise to Dave that Will was Catholic as well.

"What about you?" Dave turned his attention to Reid, knowing that he did not have a chosen religion.

"I've always been fascinated by the concepts of various religions and their traditions and ceremonies. I've read about the variations in the different ceremonies within different cultures and I've experienced Easter services in the Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal religions but never in the Catholic religion," Reid spouted off like the true lover of knowledge he is. "I think this will be a great learning experience for me. I'm looking forward to witnessing it."

"Well," Dave looked at all of them, "looks like I'm not the only one with surprises today."

"What do you mean?" Garcia asked.

"You'll see," he smirked and winked and led them all inside.

"Surprises?" Morgan glanced at Hotch.

Hotch shrugged and followed the others into the church...

* * *

They were enjoying an Easter feast fit for kings. Honey baked ham, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried okra, corn, sweet potatoes, black eyed peas and dinner rolls. Several dishes were courtesy of team members. There were also a plethora of desserts lining the counter in the kitchen. Alex brought brownies, Reid brought Easter Egg shaped sugar cookies, Morgan brought a basket of various Easter candies. Even the dog was having a gourmet meal. While they were still sitting at the table letting their food settle before diving into dessert, and enjoying some lighthearted conversation, they heard the front door open and close.

"You guys got room for one more?" a very unexpected voice called out.

Everyone jumped up from the table.

"EMILY!"

Emily Prentiss stood in the foyer of Dave's home holding a rectangular cake box. Dave quickly took the pan from her before she was bombarded by JJ, Garcia, Jack, and Henry. The others stood around her awaiting their turn in the hug line. While trying to hug everyone, she was overloaded with questions. "What are you doing here?" "When did you get in?" "How long are you staying?" "Why didn't you tell us you were coming!?" She couldn't help but laugh at the excitement.

"Slow down, slow down!" She giggled. "I remembered last year we talked about making this a tradition so I called Rossi last week to see if it was still happening. I made him keep it a secret. I wanted to surprise you all."

"You certainly did that, sister," Garcia wiped the happy tears from her face. Emily put her arm around her shoulders.

"I got in late last night and stayed with my neighbor from my old apartment complex. She manages a bakery and whipped that up for me this morning." She pointed to the box Dave had taken from her. "That's for everyone, but the boys get the first pieces."

Jack and Henry raced to see what was in the box. It was a cake in the shape of an Easter Bunny, complete with pink ears, black whiskers, and green bow tie.

"Awesome!" they hollered in unison.

"So how long are you here?" Morgan asked, the smile still seemingly permanently etched on his face.

"Until Friday."

A chorus of cheers erupted from the group.

They finally made their way from the doorway back into the dining room. Emily fixed a plate and ate while they all shared stories of what was happening in their lives, and what had happened since their last gathering.

Dave sat back and smiled. The family was all together for Easter.

The whole family.

* * *

_03/31/2013_


	91. Day 91: A Walk Down Memory Lane

**A/N: Hi everyone! Seems like everyone enjoyed my little Easter surprise! That was my way of saying Thank You to all of you for sticking with me and this journey. **

* * *

**365: Day 91**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**A Walk Down Memory Lane**

Derek Morgan took a personal day Monday and met Emily Prentiss at her storage unit at 9:00am. She'd put several of her personal items into storage before moving to London. She wanted to be sure the London move was the right move for her before shipping everything across the Atlantic Ocean. Now that she's made her decision to stay in London and lead her Interpol team, it was time to clear her storage unit. And she could use some muscle and a friend. And if said friend was made of muscle... perfect!

Emily exited her car and walked over to Derek, who held two steaming cups of coffee.

"My hero," she teased, accepting her morning caffeine and taking a much desired sip. "Mmmm...I've missed my favorite little corner coffee shop. And you remembered how I like it."

"Yep. Always will, Princess. I've lost count of how many times I've ordered your coffee. The girl behind the counter started thinking I had a little sweetie. Started messing with my reputation."

She laughed and swatted his arm playfully. They continued to sip their coffee as they made their way to her storage unit. They opened the 5' X 10' unit and decided to sort things into three piles: ship, donate, and trash. They wasted no time, picking up box cutters and garbage bags, and getting to work.

"Am I going to find anything exciting in these boxes?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Prentiss.

"Oh, don't you wish," she snarked back with a smile.

He winked and laughed, then turned the conversation to what he really wanted to know.

"So how are you? Really."

She looked up and saw the sincerity in his eyes. Even after several months apart, he was still her partner, still protective. Always looking out for her. She smiled.

"I'm getting better every day," she answered honestly. "I think the change is exactly what I needed. I just... I felt like I was always covering in my last few months here. When I came back, after Doyle, I was always trying to be the same old Emily that you all knew. I was trying to be what I knew everyone wanted me to be. But I couldn't do it anymore."

"You never had to be anything other than you for us. You know that."

"I know. It's a self-preservation tactic. And a very hard habit to break. It's what I've always done. But I realized I was just digging myself into a deeper and deeper hole and before long I wasn't going to be able to dig myself out. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do," he nodded. "I wish you had told me all this before. Maybe I could have helped."

"You always help, Derek," she smiled at her big brother. "But this was something I needed to do on my own."

"I can definitely understand that."

"And then I realized I missed Clyde and, well... you know... things happen..."

"Clyde Easter?" his eyebrows shot up. "Really?" He looked horrified.

She couldn't hold in her laughter anymore. "Man, the look on your face just now was priceless!"

"Oh, now that's just wrong. You owe me lunch for that."

"It's worth lunch for that look," she continued to laugh. "Clyde is just a really good friend, Derek. Nothing more, nothing less. I did miss him, but in the same way I miss you guys."

"Good. I'd hate to have to break his face if something happened to you."

"No face breaking, please. I kind of like Clyde's face."

"Emily!"

She had to stop unloading the box she was working on because she was laughing too hard. She was doubled over and had tears in her eyes. He stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and laughing with her. As she finally got her composure back, she looked up at him and caught that charming Derek Morgan smile and the enjoyment in his eyes.

"I sure have missed you, Derek Morgan."

"I've missed you, too, silly girl."

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her back just as tightly.

"Okay," she released him, "enough of this sappy stuff. Lets get this finished so I can stop wasting my money on this unit."

"And so I can get my free lunch."

"Yeah, that too."

The worked until nearly 2:00pm. They had her car loaded with the things she was shipping to London. His truck had already made a trip to the dumpsters around back and was now being loaded with things she was donating to the local thrift shop. There was only one more box to go through.

"Hey Emily, remember this?" He handed her a framed picture from the box. She gasped.

"Where did you find this?" She took the picture and dusted off the frame. "I've been looking all over for this!"

It was a picture of the team roughly a year after Rossi came out of retirement. They'd all gone out to dinner, Chinese of course. They had tried once again, unsuccessfully, to teach Reid to use chopsticks. Garcia was with them that night and, as always, had her trusty camera with her. Their waitress had volunteered to take their picture. Something had caught their attention and in the picture they were all laughing. She couldn't have captured the essence of their family more perfectly than in that moment.

"I thought I'd lost this. I thought for sure I'd packed it to take with me. I tore everything apart looking for this picture. It's my favorite."

"I'm glad you didn't lose it. It's my favorite, too. My copy sits on my mantle."

"I've got the perfect place for it, too. The space has been sitting open ever since I set up my apartment. I was still hoping I'd find it. I don't know what else is in that box, but it's all coming with me!"

That got a laugh from Derek. He looked back into the now empty unit. "Well, I guess that's it. So, what's for lunch?"

She looked down at the picture. "Chinese?"

"Chinese," he smiled. "Let's go."

They walked arm in arm to their vehicles and drove off to relive some old memories.

* * *

_04/01/2013_


	92. Day 92: My Family

**A/N: Greetings friends. And welcome to "Emily Week - Day 2"! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 92**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, David Rossi, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**My Family**

David Rossi wanted to do as Morgan had the day before and take a personal day to spend with Emily, but the ever-growing stack of consults burying his desk said otherwise. So instead he planned a long lunch for that afternoon. It actually worked out better for Emily as well, since she had a lot of errands to run that afternoon.

They had planned to meet around noon. Emily arrived at the BAU about fifteen minutes early and was greeted warmly by so many of her former colleagues, especially by Anderson and Gina, who both greeted her with hugs and smiles.

Rossi was on the phone with a detective from El Paso, so Prentiss decided to wait for him, taking a seat at Reid's desk. Her favorite boy genius was not in the office. Neither were JJ, Morgan, Garcia, or Hotch, which she thought was slightly weird.

"It's quiet in here when everyone is away, isn't it?"

Emily looked up at the unexpected voice. The woman held out her hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Alex Blake. You must be Emily."

Emily shook her hand. "I am."

"It's nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," she smiled. "So where is everybody?"

"JJ went to meet Will for lunch, Hotch and Reid are doing a prison interview most of the day, and Morgan and Garcia left for lunch about ten minutes ago. And Dave is trying to convince a young El Paso detective that he does not need BAU interference to handle the antics of his Chief's unruly teenage son."

"Ah, that explains the arm flailing going on up there."

"Yeah," Blake chuckled. "It's always an entertaining day when Rossi does phone consults."

"I remember," Emily laughed. She recalled a time when, after consulting with a local LEO for over an hour, David Rossi walked tensely into Hotch's office, picked up the pillow from his couch, held it to his face, and screamed obscenities into it for several minutes. Some in English, some in Italian, and some in no language she had ever heard before!

"You know," Blake began, "I think it's done them a lot of good to see you. They really miss you, Emily."

"I really miss them, too," she looked across the desk at Blake. "They're my family."

"They're an exceptional family to have."

"That they are," Emily smiled. At that point, David Rossi came down from his office mumbling something in Italian, and talking with his hands. "_Queste persone sono la morte di me._"

Emily understood what he was saying and shook her head at the older profiler. "What's the matter, Rossi? Teenagers got you stupmed?

"Hell yes, just like always! Never know what these kids are going to do these days." He rubbed his tired eyes. "But seriously, this guy wants the BAU to come to El Paso to help reign in his boss' unruly teenager?! There are about five thousand other cases we would work before even considering this one. Hopefully he understands that now." He gave her a hug once he was within prime hugging distance.

"Did you terrify or threaten the poor detective, Rossi?" Emily teased.

"Me?" He held his hand to his chest in mock distress. "I do not terrify people. You wound me, Princess."

"Yeah, right!" Emily laughed out loud, as did Alex, who watched their banter and was left shaking her head and trying not to laugh out loud.

"Dealing with dumbasses makes me hungry. What's for lunch?"

"How about Al's Diner on the corner? They have wings. I've been craving some good wings. Nothing beats Al's secret sauce. Definitely can't get that in London."

"You know they sell that stuff by the bottle, now. You could take some with you." Rossi put on his coat and offered Emily his arm. "I think you can order it online now, too. Shall we eat?"

"Yes, we shall!" Emily excitedly accepted his arm. She turned to Alex. "Do you want to come?"

"No, thank you. Enjoy yourselves. You deserve it."

"Well, it was nice meeting you finally," she shook Alex's hand again.

"You too, Emily."

"I should be back around two," Rossi told Alex.

"Go have fun. I'll man the fort."

Rossi and Prentiss headed for the glass doors that led out of the BAU to the elevators. Prentiss stopped and looked around. "I think I forgot something. I'll be right back."

Dave waited while she headed back inside. She went back to Blake's desk, which took Alex by surprise.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes. I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?"

"Sure."

"Take care of them for me, would you? They're closer than my real family."

"I will, Emily. You have my word. They are an incredibly special group of people."

"They most certainly are."

* * *

_04/02/2013_

* * *

A/N 2: For those of you who have asked, I got a new update on my baby cousin. He took a turn for the worse last night and had to be put back on the ventilator. :( Still no date for surgery. They're running tests to make sure he doesn't have an infection. Thank you, all of you, for thinking of him in such a trying time.

Also... "_Queste persone sono la morte di me_" means "These people are going to be the death of me."


	93. Day 93: All Is Forgiven

**A/N: "Emily Week - Day 3"! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 93**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**All Is Forgiven**

Reid met Prentiss at their favorite bookstore after work. Over the years it had become somewhat of a sanctuary for them. They had discovered years ago that they liked a lot of the same literature and this store had a wonderfully rich section dedicated to fantasy and sci-fi. They also carried some of Reid's favorite 15th century works that he remembered from his mother's teachings. They housed everything from early European history and Russian philosophy to comic books. There was also a reading room tucked away in a corner with a little coffee shop.

This had become their place when they needed to talk or simply needed each others company. They somehow understood each other on a level that the others couldn't quite reach. She was the big sister he'd always wanted; protective, but not overbearing like Morgan could be. She helped him to better understand things by letting him make mistakes but always being there to catch him should he fall. He, in turn, gave her someone to nurture, other than her cat, of course.

After the Ian Doyle incident their friendship had been fractured. They were in the process of rebuilding and had come a long way when Emily took the position with Interpol in London. They still talked often, but it wasn't the same. Having her here, even if only for a few days, was exactly what Spencer Reid needed.

He entered the bookstore and went up to the second floor. He picked three books from the science fiction section and made his way to the reading room. He found her in their usual spot sipping her coffee and browsing a Kurt Vonnegut novel. Upon his approach, she stood up and gave him a hug, which he happily returned.

"It's been way too long since we've been here," she said when she finally released him.

"I know. I still come here a lot. The barista asks me about you once a week. I think she's missed you almost as much as I have... almost."

She chuckled. "I've definitely missed this place. I still haven't found the perfect little coffee shop/book store in London yet. I've been to a few, but they don't add up. Granted, leading an Interpol team leaves very little room for reading. It leaves very little room for anything, really."

"Something tells me I don't want to know."

"You don't. Now I understand why Hotch used to practically sleep in his office."

"Yeah, not a position I envy," Reid shook his head.

"I have a lot more respect for it now," she nodded. "So how have you been since the last time we talked?"

He sighed. "I still have good days and bad days, but it's getting better." He was talking, of course, about Maeve. "She was such an incredible person. She was beautiful. She helped me in so many ways. I wish you could have known her."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I wish you could have had more time with her. She was obviously an incredible person to have ensnared you."

"Yes, she was."

"I wish I could have been here for you," she reached over and put her hand on his knee. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"I know. But you were there when I needed you the most. In the middle of the night when the nightmares started. You were the only person I could call in the middle of the night. I mean, I know I could have called the others, but I would have felt bad waking them up. But you were already awake. You were right where I needed you. Thank you for that."

"I'll always be where you need me to be, Reid. Always. You know that."

"I do. Emily," he hesitated. "I owe you an apology."

"What are you talking about?" Her brow furrowed. She was thoroughly confused.

"After the Doyle situation, when you came back, I completely shut you out. You and JJ and Hotch. I didn't understand then why you all felt you had to hide what was happening, but I do now. You were protecting us, just like you always do. I was so hurt I didn't stop to think about what you had been through. You've always helped me in so many ways, and the one time you needed me to understand and to trust you, I balked. I'm so sorry, Emily."

"Spencer, it was an impossible situation for everybody. And it's over. And we're still here. Together. You don't ever have to apologize to me for that. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. I should have let you guys in. Things might have ended differently if I had. I was too afraid of something happening to one of you and it being my fault. That's why I tried to handle it myself. And we both know how well that turned out."

"Like you just said, we're here now. That's what matters."

Emily stood up and hugged him tight.

"I've missed you so much, Reid."

"I've missed you, too, Emily."

And in that hug, with the strength and the bonds of a never-ending friendship, all was forgiven.

* * *

_04/03/2013_


	94. Day 94: Ladies Night

**A/N: And now it's the ladies' turn! Have fun!**

* * *

**365: Day 94**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Ladies Night**

The three best friends all met at JJ's house at roughly 8:00pm. They all wanted to take one car to their favorite hot spot so as not to waste any of the time they had to spend together. And just in case the evening went a little too well, Will was on standby to pick them up if they were too inebriated to drive home. With hair and makeup perfect, and dressed to the nines (which garnered Will's wolf-whistle of approval), the three ladies made their way to Corky's.

They found a parking space on the street less than a block away from the bar. They got out of the car and stood arm in arm on the sidewalk. They could hear the pulsing beats of dance music coming through the bar's open doors. Emily took a deep breath, inhaling all of the familiar scents surrounding their favorite D.C. hangout.

"Ladies, it has been way too long."

"You got that right," JJ replied.

"Damn straight!" Garcia added. "We cannot let this time lapse happen again."

"Agreed," JJ and Prentiss nodded in unison.

"Even if you're only in town for a few hours, we have to find a way to come here," Garcia continued. "Even if it's just to stand on the sidewalk. Corky's is a MUST!"

"Yes, ma'am," Prentiss smiled big at her quirky friend. There were simply not enough Penelope Garcia's in the world. The world would be a much brighter, fuller, happier place if there were.

The three entered the bar and found the only unoccupied table in the house. A small, round table typically meant for two people in the far corner. They crowded around it, not caring at all about the super cramped quarters. They were together. That was all that mattered.

"So what's everybody drinking?" Emily asked. "First round is on me."

"Start me off with a beer."

"Me too, but see if they'll put one of those cute little umbrellas in it."

"You want a beer with an umbrella in it?" Prentiss looked momentarily baffled.

"Of course!"

"God, I have missed you, woman!" Prentiss hugged Garcia and kissed her cheek. She then made her way to the bar to pick up the first round.

JJ and Garcia sat at the table watching their friend. Something had caught Emily's attention, but it was too dark and the bar was too crowded for them to see what it was. She kept glancing to her left looking at something on the other end of the bar. Even by standing and straining their necks, they couldn't see. When the bartender gave her the three beers (one plus umbrella), she took one more glance before returning to their table.

"Oh. My. God." She punctuated each word while setting down their beers. "I don't believe it."

"What is it?"

She turned back to the bar. "See the bartender? Now look to the left at the guy sitting at the bar just past the two blondes. Dark hair, dark suit, decent build. Look at the guy and tell me who you see."

They looked, squinting their eyes trying to see through the smoke and the dim lighting. Then he turned slightly and they caught a glimpse of his face. JJ and Penelope gasped in unison, grasping each others arms.

"It's BRAD!"

"That's what I thought!" Emily yelled excitedly and began laughing.

"I can't believe it!" Garcia added. "I didn't think we'd ever see him again!"

"Yeah, it's been almost six years!" JJ had to wipe tears from her eyes. "I wonder if he's still using his 'FBI' rouse to pick up women?"

"Oh, I think we scared him off of that one."

They all laughed hysterically at the memory of their first run-in with Brad, the 'Real FBI Agent'. He tried so hard to be smooth and win over their affections all those years ago, only to crash land into three REAL FBI Agents. They'd made a fool out of the poor boy and had a damn good time in the process.

Emily held up her glass. "To Brad!"

"To Brad!" The ladies all toasted the memory and took a drink.

It was the perfect start to a perfect evening filled with lots of laughter and memories, and of course, a 'Green Fairy'.

And as expected, Will had to pick them up and drive them home. He managed to get them all in the house without too many problems or injuries, though Garcia did nearly land in the azalea bush when she tripped up the stairs. Will deposited the three of them on the sofa and went to make coffee. Before he could even get the grounds into the filter, all three ladies were sound asleep.

* * *

_04/04/2013_


	95. Day 95: Understanding

**A/N: And we're up to Friday. The final day of Emily Week. Now it's Hotch's turn.**

* * *

**365: Day 95**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Understanding**

The knock at her hotel room door caused Emily to groan and drop her pounding head into her hands. 'Why, oh why did we drink so much?' she asked herself as her hangover raged behind her eyelids. Then she laughed. Yeah, it was worth it. For her two best friends in the whole world, it would always be worth it. She went to the door and looked through the peep hole. Smiling, she opened the door to her former boss.

"Please tell me one of those is for me," she begged.

Hotch held out the steaming cup of coffee. "I heard you three had quite the evening."

"We always do," she grinned, eyes squinting at the harsh light coming into her dim room from the hallway. She took the offered cup and invited him in. She took a sip and moaned in delight. "Thank you."

"Seriously, what is it with you three and the 'Green Fairy'?"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

"I thought you went Interpol, not CIA."

"Touche."

He chuckled. He'd missed her sharp as a tack sense of humor. They made small talk as she finished packing her things. Twenty minutes later, he took her bags to his SUV while she checked out of the hotel. And shortly thereafter they were heading for the airport.

"When do you go back to work?"

"I get two more days after I get back. Hopefully that will be long enough to get over the jet lag."

"I know it's been exhausting, but I'm glad you made the trip. That was a great surprise."

She smiled remembering the looks on their faces when she showed up at Rossi's on Easter Sunday. "I wish I'd had my camera ready. Your faces were priceless!"

He laughed. "Well, you've got to admit, showing up from 4,000 miles away was quite the shocker."

"Yeah," she chuckled. "That was fun. I can't believe Rossi was able to keep it a secret."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be catching hell for that today. JJ and Garcia have been trying to get at him all week."

They both laughed at that. Rossi was a formidable man, but against both JJ and Garcia... he didn't stand a chance.

"So how's Interpol these days?"

"Exhausting. After only a few months leading my own team, I understand you so much better now."

"How's that?"

"I know why it sometimes felt like you lived in your office. The work just keeps piling up. It multiplies on my desk right before my eyes. Like rabbits!" That got a hearty laugh from him. "I'm not kidding, Hotch! I close one file and two more take its place. I really wish I had Reid to slide some of my work to."

"I think he actually misses that. Last week he was begging Alex for some of her files. He finished his so quick that he got bored. He even offered to do some of mine."

"Wow. Poor kid."

"Tell me about it."

"It's not just the paperwork. There is so much more pressure being the team leader. Sometimes I worry that I'm not strong enough to handle it."

"You are," he said sincerely. "You're a lot stronger than you've ever given yourself credit for. People look up to you. They respect you. They're also there for you. Like you guys always reminded me... you don't have to do everything by yourself. You and your team support each other. It's not a one way street."

Her eyebrows shot up. "You actually listened when we said that?"

"Of course I did." He pulled into a parking space in the short term parking area at the airport and turned to face her. "I may not have shown it at the time, but I heard you. And it made a huge difference once I started trusting in that."

"I'm glad. I don't know if you realize how important you are to them. They can't lose you, Hotch."

"They can't lose you, either. Clyde better be watching your back."

"He is. He always has. I trust him."

"Good. You know, during that mess with Doyle, I told Clyde that if anything happened to you I would destroy him. That hasn't changed. Just because you're not technically a member of this team doesn't mean we stop protecting you. We're always here. Make sure he knows that."

"Careful Hotch," she teased. "Your Alpha Wolf is showing."

"Good," he mock-growled. They both laughed. They'd missed these moments where they could tease each other. It wasn't a side of Hotch shown to many people.

They unloaded the SUV and he helped her get her luggage to the check in counter. He waited to the side while she got her luggage checked and got her boarding pass. He walked with her to the British Airways concourse. He could only go as far as the security checkpoint. Only passengers with a boarding pass were allowed past that point.

"You know," he began as they stopped a few feet away from the security checkpoint, "I don't think I ever said thank you."

"For what?"

"For being my bad day phone call."

She smiled as her eyes began to water. "Thank you for being mine."

They hugged each other tightly.

"We miss you," he whispered.

"Ditto," she whispered back.

When they parted, they both had to wipe the stray tears from their eyes.

"Be safe, Emily."

"I will. I'll call you when I land."

"Good."

"See you soon, Hotch."

"See you soon."

Reluctantly they parted, and Emily went through security and to the plane that would take her to her home away from home.

* * *

_04/05/2013_


	96. Day 96: There and Back Again

**A/N: Sorry I'm late! I went to see The Dave Matthews Band tonight with my mom and sister. It was so much fun! But I just got home. And I'm pretty sure I have a contact high from all the pot smokers around us! So this chapter is going to be short as I am very sleepy. Hope you enjoy! This chapter officially concludes Emily Week.**

* * *

**365: Day 96**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**There And Back Again**

Emily was as comfortable as she could make herself in her seat on the British Airways 747 as it cruised its way on its nine hour journey across the Atlantic Ocean. She was wrapped in a blanket, head reclined back on a small pillow, but she wasn't asleep. She was thinking back to the wonderful week she'd gotten to spend with her pseudo-family.

She was glad to finally meet Alex Blake. The others had told her about her and knew she was fitting in nicely with everyone, and was a damn good agent. But she felt better now having officially met her. She was entrusting her family to this new person. She had to see for herself that she had what it took to be one of the elite. Now she knew that, even though there had been some growing pains, as is always the case when a team is shaken up by departures and additions, she was a good fit for them and was willing to protect them. That was all she could ask for.

Derek was still her go-to guy. Still as witty and charming as ever. Still sporting his 100-megawatt smile. There was a slightly different edge to him now. He stood on more equal footing with Hotch. She knew during her last few months with the team that something had happened between them and Strauss, but neither of them would discuss it. Whatever it was, it caused a shift in their relationship. There was a deeper trust and understanding that wasn't there before. She was glad to see it. And she was also glad to see that it had only made him better.

David. Her rock. She still couldn't believe how much he'd changed since their first case together. He'd gone from that stand alone hard ass to "Uncle Dave" and had two little boys wrapped around his little finger. Like her, he'd found a family in this hodge-podge of wonderfully random people. A family that they both knew would never let them down. And she could still count on him for anything under the sun.

Then there was Reid. The kid had been through so much heartache in his young life. There were so many times she wanted to wrap him in bubble wrap to protect him or hide him away so nothing else could hurt him. But then she saw how he'd taken those tragedies and found ways to use them to help him become a better agent, a better Profiler. But more importantly, a better man. She couldn't be any more proud of him if she tried.

And oh, how she loved her girls! Jennifer Jareau and Penelope Garcia were the sisters she never had and, while they all three seemed like such opposite personalities, there was nothing she cherished more than their friendship. They were always there for her, day or night. Despite having an ocean between them, their friendship had thrived. She would always be grateful for that.

And Hotch. There was a much deeper understanding for her now. She knew what it felt like to have a team of people to teach, to train, to guard and protect, and all of them are looking at you for the answers to everything. And yet he still managed to coach his son's soccer team and spend a great deal of time with him. The man definitely had his priorities in order. She could only hope to be half the leader he was.

And she'd managed NOT to run into Strauss on any of her days in the old office. That's a win anyday!

She was glad she'd made the trip. The jet lag would be worth it. She'd been able to spend some much needed time with her family. With those happy memories, she peacefully slept.

* * *

_04/06/2013_


	97. Day 97: Thank You, Dave

**A/N: Okay, you Emily lovers get one more chapter. Surprise! :)**

**And thank you all for the wonderful reviews on the last two chapters. You all definitely know how to make a girl feel special! :D I'm sorry I haven't been able to get back to you all personally. I don't usually work weekends, but did today and it has completely thrown my timing off. **

* * *

**365: Day 97**

**Characters: Emily Prentiss, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Thank You**

"Hey Rossi," Emily said as Dave picked up on the second ring of his cell phone.

"I hope this phone call means you've made it back safe and sound."

"It does. I'm sitting on my balcony with my coffee as we speak."

"Atta girl." She could practically hear him relaxing through the phone.

"Were you worried about me, Rossi?" she asked sarcastically.

"Nah," he nonchalantly replied. "I figure if your plane had landed in the ocean, you'd just grab hold of a shark fin and let him swim you to shore. You're resourceful like that."

"Thank you very much for that vote of confidence!" she laughed.

"You're quite welcome."

They shared a bit of small talk about her trip back home before she got to the real reason behind this phone call.

"Listen, Dave, I really want to thank you for helping me make this trip happen. I needed this week more than you know."

"You don't have to thank me," he said, his voice full of compassion. "We needed this week, too."

"I've been really missing you guys lately. I don't know why it's come on all of a sudden like it has. But I just... I had to see you guys."

"It probably has to do with our new friend." He spoke, of course, of The Replicator. "I know Hotch has kept you in the loop, and after hearing about all the photos we found and how he seems to be ramping up, subconsciously you needed to see for yourself that we really are okay."

"You're probably right. I do feel better now that I've seen the photos and the evidence. But I still sometimes feel like I should be there helping you find this asshole or watching your back or something. I feel like I'm not doing enough."

"Emily, you have enough on your plate. You need to focus on your team now. They need you. We've got each other. And I promise you, we're on the lookout for him. And until we find him, we're going to continue to do what we do best. You need to do the same."

"I know," she sighed. "You're right. Just, please promise me you're looking out for each other."

"I promise, Emily. Now promise me that you're looking out for yourself."

"I am." She took a sip of her coffee. "I hope JJ and Garcia didn't give you too much hell about keeping my visit a secret."

"They did, but it was worth it. And yes, I'd do it again. In a heartbeat."

That got a chuckle out of her. "Thanks, Dave."

"Anytime, princess. I've got to go. We're about to deliver a profile."

"Okay. Be safe out there, Dave."

"You too, Em. We'll talk again soon."

"Okay. Goodbye."

She hung up the phone and looked out over the London sky. She sent a quick prayer of protection up for her family across the ocean. Then she set up a dinner date with her new team. After spending the week with a group of people who were every bit her family, she decided she needed to try more things with her new team. She wanted them to know what that bond felt like. And she looked forward to helping them build it.

* * *

_04/07/2013_

* * *

_A/N 2: Thank you to all of you for showing your concern and asking about the well being of my baby cousin. He's had another setback... he has the flu! So he's on antibiotics. His fever is beginning to come down very slowly. But they have to wait for him to get over this before they can do the surgery. Thanks again for all the prayers and well wishes. They mean a great deal._


	98. Day 98: Worrisome

**A/N: To BBhotblooded, Monkeywand (holy crap that's a lot of chapters!), Doc blu xx, Buka2000 (Yay DMB!), Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Tannerose5, Persephone Muse, Mummacass, Gemini-Victoria, shelly hoffer 7, Wotumba1, Pechika, Annber03, AlexandriaZ, p59000, Sand n' Sable, Random Reader 17, Sdia75, emilyhotchnerforever and my anonymous guest reviewers - THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! You all have helped push this collection to over 1360 reviews! I am so far beyond blown away that you all are enjoying this collection that much! And I am very humbled. And honored. Thanks gang.**

* * *

**365: Day 98**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Worrisome**

Garcia was in Hotch's office going over some new cases. They'd been through four so far. One he assigned to Rossi to consult. One to Blake, one to Morgan, and one to Reid and JJ to work on together. They hadn't come across one that required all of their combined attention, meaning they would be staying in town for the evening. He could tell there was something on her mind. She was missing some of that usual Garcia spark. And quite frankly, it concerned him.

"Garcia."

"Yes, sir?"

"Talk to me."

Her brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, sir?"

"What's bothering you, Garcia?"

She sighed heavily and moved to sit on the couch. He got up from his desk and joined her.

"Are you okay, Penelope?"

"Yes, sir. I just... I'm worried."

"About what?"

"About you... all of you. This whole Replicator thing has me on edge."

"You know we're doing everything we can to find him. And we will."

"I know, but in the meantime, I'm here tucked inside our guarded walls in my lair with the reinforced security door while all of you are out there in the open where he could get to you and I'm just not handling that very well. You all protect everyone and there's no one to protect you, and there should be."

"Garcia. Breathe."

"I am. I know. I just..." She took a deep breath to try to calm herself. "I've lost too many people, Hotch. We've all lost too many people. We can't lose anyone else."

He took her concern to heart. It was a concern they all shared. "When we're in the field, we're taking every precaution we can. Nobody goes anywhere alone. We're always armed and always alert. We are going to find him, Penelope." He looked at her with as much sincerity as he could muster. "In the meantime, we protect each other. Just like always. We always protect each other, Garcia. That will never change. We have to trust in that. Having that trust is the only way we can effectively continue to do our jobs. There are still people out there who need us. And they deserve the best we can give them."

"Yes, they do." She took another deep breath. "Just promise me I'll always know where you are. All of you."

He smiled. "You have my word."

"Thank you, sir." She stood. "Now lets catch some bad guys."

* * *

_04/09/2013_

**A/N 2: Thank you again for all the prayers and well wishes for my baby cousin. There's been little change in his condition. He still has a fever and they are not going to be able to take him off the ventilator. Every time they try, his oxygen levels drop within 30 minutes. So we're in wait and see mode now. If you would indulge me, I do have another favor to ask on behalf of a friend and dedicated reader and reviewer, AlexandriaZ. Her cousin, Sam, has been diagnosed with colon cancer. She is only 20 years old and has a one year old child. While doctors were trying to put a stint in her kidney, they punctured something and she is losing blood. She, her cousin, the doctors, and the family could use your support as well. Thanks gang.**


	99. Day 99: Proud

**A/N: So I'm finally getting to my post-ep for "Restoration" (8x18). Short and sweet for this one. Hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 99**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Proud**

David Rossi sat in his car watching the house knowing Derek Morgan was hard at work inside. Knowing what Derek had been through during this case alone was tough for him. But hearing what happened to him as a child... Rossi was seething with anger. He needed to take a few minutes and calm himself, and he knew Derek needed more than a few minutes to come to terms with the whole team knowing his most closely guarded secret. And only God knows how many other people saw his statement to the press. His mother. His sisters. His extended family. He knew Derek was putting his anger and frustration to good work inside the nearly completely renovated home.

The unopened- bottle of Gentleman Jack was still in Dave's car. He'd brought it with him the first time he came to this house, right before they got called into Morgan's personal hell. After waiting nearly an hour, Rossi finally got out of the car, retrieved the bottle and went inside.

Morgan had been busy. Very busy. The house was nearly complete. The shudders he'd mentioned before they left were now on the windows, hanging perfectly. Dave let out a whistle at the amount of progress Derek had made.

"You've been busy since we got back."

"Yeah," Morgan breathed heavily. "Not much left now. A little paint on some of the door frames and this room would be complete"

"You do really impressive work, Agent." Adding the 'agent' part was his way of letting him know that he was impressed not only with his work on the house, but his work on the last case as well. He was beyond impressive. He was brilliant. He held up the bottle to Derek. "We were interrupted last time. How about now? Want a drink?"

"Yeah." He wiped the sweat off his face. "That would be good right about now."

Rossi poured out two glasses and passed one to his friend. He held up the second and clinked glasses with Morgan.

"To second chances," he said.

"Second chances," Morgan agreed and took a sip, letting the burning sensation fill his lungs and fuel his fire. Rossi took a few steps toward him and put his hand oh his shoulder. Derek sighed.

"I know what you're going to say, Rossi."

"You don't know."

Morgan turned to glare at him, but instead was met with watchful eyes and too much compassion. He walked away to look at what would someday become a huge window overlooking the back yard. Right now, however, he was simply staring at a blank space from the wall.

"Derek, please look at me."

"I don't want to talk about this, Rossi."

"I know. I just need to say something and I want to be able to see your eyes with I do."

Reluctantly, Derek turned around.

"I'm going to say something that I don't think you heard enough as a kid. Something that hopefully reminds you of just how important you are to this team. And how special a man you are."

"What's that?" He did not sound convinced.

Rossi smiled and looked him in the eye.

"I'm proud of you."

* * *

_04/09/2013_

A/N: Sorry gang. I know this isn't by best work and I could have made this longer. (Maybe tomorrow.) But seeing as I just fell asleep at my keyboard, I should stop here and get some sleep. I may pick this back up tomorrow. Oh, and any errors/mistakes are mine. Good night!


	100. Day 100: Breaking

**A/N: We made it! Day 100! Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/alerts, and all the encouragement and support during this adventure. This isn't just an accomplishment for me. It's an accomplishment for all of us! Thank you all for joining me on this wonderful ride!**

**This chapter is for the Reid fans. And since this is Day 100, it is also my tribute to the original "100".**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 100**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Rebuilding**

Jack had been asleep for nearly two hours and Aaron was sitting on the couch, TV turned down low, going over case files for tomorrow's briefing when there was an unexpected soft knock on his apartment door. He was not expecting anyone, so he approached the door cautiously. He looked through the peep hole and was surprised to see Spencer Reid on the other side. He turned off the alarm and opened the door.

"Reid?"

"Hey Hotch."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I... um... can we talk?"

"Of course." He stepped aside and invited Reid in. The young agent looked tense and sad. Something was weighing heavily on him tonight. He stood awkwardly, hands in his pockets, while Hotch locked up and reset the alarm. _'Still vigilant after three years, ten months, twenty-one days since his attack in this apartment - three years, four months, sixteen days since Haley's murder.'_ His mind was constantly working.

"Have a seat, Reid." Hotch's voice brought him out of his mental calculation and he took a seat on one end of his couch. Hotch sat on the other end, turned slightly to face him.

"I'm sorry, I should have called first. I didn't want to wake up Jack." He was stalling. He knew it.

"Jack's fine. He's been asleep for nearly two hours. Nothing's waking him up right now." He studied his subordinate momentarily. "What's going on, Spencer?"

Reid sniffled and spoke softly. "I'm having a bad day."

Hotch could tell that, even though Reid had come to him, he wasn't quite ready to talk. He volunteered to make them some coffee to give Reid a moment to prepare his thoughts and his emotions for what was sure to be a trying conversation for him. When he returned to the living room a few minutes later, Reid was standing in front of Hotch's bookcase. On a middle shelf where Jack could reach them were a few family photos. The one in the middle (with the most fingerprints on the frame) was a 5x7 photo of Haley and Jack. It looked to be from a birthday party. She was tickling him and they were both laughing. There was so much joy in that picture that it was hard to believe that it all ended so tragically.

"That was his third birthday. Jessica took that picture. It's my favorite. It's Jack's favorite, too."

"How did you do it, Hotch?" He sounded miserable. He looked over at Hotch and a single tear escaped its hiding place.

"I didn't have a choice." He handed Reid his coffee. "I had a four-year-old little boy who was solely reliant on me to take care of him. I had to be as strong as I could for Jack.

"That doesn't mean I didn't break once he went to sleep at night." He took a deep breath and readied himself to relive the most painful time in his life. But if it helped Reid at all, it was worth it.

"Some nights I would put him to bed, then get in the shower and cry until the water turned cold. A few nights I got on the phone and kept Dave up until two or three in the morning blaming myself and getting angry and letting him talk me down."

He moved to look out the window. "One really bad night, Jessica kept Jack and I went to Dave's and got more drunk than I've ever been in my life. I yelled and screamed and got very angry and a little violent. I'm pretty sure I broke a few things. Then I got sick and that's when the overwhelming survivor's guilt hit. And I completely broke. I remember sitting on the floor in his bathroom sobbing for what felt like hours. He never left my side. He just held onto me and kept telling me that, even though I didn't believe him, I would be okay."

He finally looked back at Reid. "I felt terrible the next day, but I also felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off my chest. I could breathe again. I realized Dave was right. Once I let out all that bottled up grief, I was okay. The grief was slowly destroying me. But once I let all that out I was able to start healing. It's been nearly four years and I still have bad days now and then. I still have nightmares about those gun shots. And so does Jack. But those nights are few and far between now, thankfully. And when they happen, we cling to each other and help each other to move past them. And we're okay."

He watched Reid wipe the tears from his face. He went to the young genius and put his hand gently on his shoulder. "What happened tonight, Spencer? Talk to me."

"I had the dream again. The same recurring dream I've had at least twice a week since Maeve's murder. No matter how many times I have the dream, the outcome never changes. And I still feel like it was my fault. Sometimes I wish we'd never met. Maybe then she'd still be alive."

He wiped his tears again. "I should have acted sooner. I should have intervened the day she told me she had a stalker. She would still be alive if I had chosen to investigate but she made me promise not to. I still don't understand why."

He smiled, albeit briefly. "I think she understood me more than any other person I've ever met. It was amazing communicating with her before we met. She was so smart and funny and just a beautiful person inside and out. I've never met anyone like her, Hotch. And she'd probably still be alive if I'd never come into her life."

He took a deep breath before telling Hotch why tonight felt like his breaking point. "When the guilt hits, the cravings come back."

Hotch's head snot up and his eyes filled with concern as Reid continued, all the while absently dragging his thumb over the bend in his elbow. "I haven't had cravings this bad since I went through withdrawal. I tore my apartment apart looking for any extra I had left from those days, but I must have gotten rid of all of the vials. So I went looking for my old dealer. I know where he's moved his business. I keep tabs on him. I found him and was about fifteen feet away when I realized what I was doing. I got scared, so I kept walking, hoping the cool air would clear my head. And I wound up here."

"I want you to know something, Reid." Hotch looked him in the eye. "Everything Dave did for me that night, I would gladly do for you. The last thing you need to do is try to handle this level of grief by yourself. It took months for me to realize that. You have a support system with us. We're always here, Spencer. This isn't something you're going to get over quickly. It's going to take time. A lot of time over several years. But we're always here, Reid. And we're not going anywhere."

At that statement, Spencer finally broke down. Hotch took the coffee mug from his hand and sat both their mugs on the coffee table. Then he enveloped him in a strong embrace. He moved them to sit on the couch where Reid buried his face in Hotch's shoulder and his broken sobs were muffled by his shirt. Hotch simply held him and replayed those words of comfort that Dave had shared with him three years ago. "I'm not going to let you fall, Spencer. I've got you."

Finally, an hour later, a completely exhausted Spencer Reid sat up and wiped his face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You've been through hell. Believe me, I know." Reid smiled sadly. "You can always come to me, day or night," Hotch reiterated. "Always."

"Thank you, Hotch. For everything. It's got to be getting late. I should probably go."

Hotch shook his head. "It's after 1:00am, Reid. Why don't you just sleep here. I can take you home in the morning."

"I appreciate that. Thanks."

Hotch retrieved a blanket and a pillow from his closet for him. He also found a pair of lounge pants for him to sleep in. Once Reid was settled on the couch, he turned out the lights. Knowing Reid's aversion to darkness, he left his desk lamp on.

"Get some sleep, Reid. If you need anything, my room is the first door on the left. Just knock on the door."

"Thanks again, Hotch. Goodnight."

"Anytime, Reid." He walked down the hall to his room. At the door, he paused and looked back into the living room at the already sleeping man on his couch. "Goodnight, son," he whispered, and retreated to his room.

* * *

_04/10/2013_

A/N2: The original air date of the season four finale "...and Back" was May 20, 2009. I used this as the date of Hotch's attack/stabbing instead of the date of the season five premiere, since he was attacked that night. And the original air date of "100" (Haley's murder) was November 25, 2009. Here's hoping I did my math right!


	101. Day 101: Rebuilding

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone, for the wonderful response to the previous chapter! *big hugs* This chapter is a continuation. Also, I've renamed the previous chapter. **

* * *

**365: Day 101**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Picking Up The Pieces**

Aaron was awake, but trying not to be. It was too early and he'd gone to bed too late. He was laying in bed hoping to fall back to sleep when he heard his bedroom door creak open and little feet padded over to his bed and climbed in. He raised his arm so Jack could curl up next to him and draped his arm around his back.

"What are you doing awake so early?" he spoke softly and planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"I had to potty," he answered just as quietly. "Daddy, why is Uncle Spencer on the couch?"

Hotch smiled and held his son a little tighter. "You know how when you have a bad dream sometimes and it scares you, and you just want someone close so you won't be alone?"

"Yeah."

"Well, last night Spencer had a really bad dream. And he was a little scared and sad. And he needed someone to talk to. But he lives by himself, so he came over here to talk to me."

"Just like when I have bad dreams."

"That's right. Sometimes talking about your bad dreams can help them go away, right?"

"Right!" Jack smiled, remembering the times his daddy helped chase away the monsters.

"Well, Spencer and I talked for a really long time while you were sleeping. And when we finished talking, he felt better, but it was too late for him to go home so he stayed here."

"Did you chase his monsters away, too?"

Jack's innocent question brought a smile to his face. "I certainly hope so, buddy."

Jack sat up on his knees and hugged his dad tight. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Jack." He wrapped him up in his arms. These were his favorite moments of the day. These precious moments with his boy. His son was getting older, and he knew these moments would become few and far between much sooner that he would like, so he cherished every one of them. But a glance at the clock on his bedside table told him it was time to get things moving in the Hotchner household.

"Was Uncle Spencer still asleep when you saw him?"

"Uh-huh."

"You know what wakes sleeping Spencers?"

"What?"

"Coffee and breakfast. What do you think? Should we make Spencer some breakfast?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, you go get dressed and wash your face while I take a shower, and we'll make some breakfast."

* * *

The delicious smell of coffee entered Spencer Reid's senses. He began to stir as other wonderful smells greeted him. Sausage, bacon, eggs. He yawned and stretched and finally opened his eyes. He was momentarily confused by his surroundings, but within seconds the evening came back to him. His eyes still felt raw and scratchy from crying. But Hotch had been right. His chest felt lighter. He could breathe. His head felt clearer. Maybe the break was exactly what he needed, however painful it had been.

He stood and stretched, folded the blanket on the couch, and followed his nose across the room to the kitchen.

Hotch caught sight of him first. He nudged Jack to get his attention. "See, told ya."

Jack turned and ran to give Spencer a hug. "Hey Uncle Spencer! We made breakfast!"

"I see that. Smells good. Did you help?"

"Yep!"

"Excellent. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay," Jack let him go and Reid went to use the restroom and clean up. He returned moments later and the three of them had an enjoyable breakfast. Jack was excited about school this morning, telling Spencer all about his favorite subject - science. There was a science fair coming up for which his class was preparing. Spencer enjoyed this light easy conversation to start the day. No wonder Hotch looked so relaxed when he first entered the office in the morning. Shame it couldn't last beyond his first meeting of the day.

Reid helped Hotch clean up while Jack got ready for school. Jessica picked him up, and a few minutes later Hotch and Reid were on their way to Reid's apartment. The ride was mostly quiet. Reid had a lot to process from the previous night. Hotch pulled into Reid's apartment complex and cut the engine before he spoke.

"Are you okay?"

Reid nodded. "Yeah. I think I am. You were right. I guess I just needed to let it all out."

"It hurts like hell at the time, but it does help in the long run."

"Yeah."

"What about the cravings?"

"They're gone," he smiled. "Thankfully. That worried me more than anything. But they are completely gone."

"Good."

Reid took a deep cleansing breath. "Thank you, Hotch. For everything. I'm sorry I sort of dropped everything in your lap."

Hotch shook his head. "Reid, I meant what I said last night. You can always come to me. I'll try to help you in any way I can."

"Thank you," he nodded.

"I know last night was trying, so if you need to take the day off, it's okay."

"No. I really am okay."

"Okay. I've got a budget meeting in 20 minutes, so I'll see you at the office."

"Okay."

As Hotch pulled away, Reid went inside his apartment. He took a shower, dressed for work, and made more coffee. He cleaned up a little of the mess he'd made when looking for vials of Dilaudid. He picked up the book Maeve had given him and held it gently. He ran his fingers over the cover and smiled. He no longer wished they had never met. He was glad for it. He remembered the joy she brought into his life in the short time they'd had together. He smiled at her memory for the first time since her death. He placed it back into its special place on his bookshelf.

And a healing Spencer Reid went to work.

* * *

_04/11/2013_


	102. Day 102: Strong Heart

**A/N: Thanks everyone for everything! This is a follow up to the previous two chapters, and also a throwback to Day 79: Helping Hands.**

* * *

**365: Day 102**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Strong Heart**

JJ knocked on Hotch's door a little after 11:00am. Upon hearing his acknowledgment, she entered and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, I got your message. You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah. Have a seat."

She sat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. The left, to be exact. Everyone knew the chair on the right was reserved for Rossi.

"I know I asked you a few weeks ago to keep an eye on Reid," he began. "I just wanted to keep you in the loop on a few things."

JJ looked concerned. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

"Everything is fine," he reassured her. "He came over the other night and we talked. A lot."

"Did he finally open up?"

"Yes. About a lot of things. He got me to open up a bit, too."

"Really?" JJ raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I know. It surprised me, too," he chuckled slightly. "I think it did us both a lot of good."

JJ smiled. "That's good to hear."

"I really do think he's healing now. Or at least starting to. He's going to be okay."

"He's got a strong heart," JJ said. "He's always been stronger than any of us give him credit for. We all just need a little help staying strong from time to time."

"That we do," Hotch agreed.

"I won't ask for details, but I'm glad he opened up to you. More than any of us, you understand what he's going through."

"That's unfortunately true," Hotch nodded. "But if telling him my story helps him in any way, then it was worth it."

She nodded in agreement. "You're a good man, Aaron Hotchner."

"Don't say that too loud. You'll ruin my hard ass image."

She laughed out loud. "Yes, sir."

"Anyway, I just wanted to let you know since I'd asked you to keep an eye on him."

"Thanks for keeping me in the loop."

She got up and left his office, feeling much better about the state of her friend. And promising herself to keep an eye on him anyway.

* * *

_04/12/2013_


	103. Day 103: Bridges Built

**A/N: Evening peeps! Hope you are all well. :) My cat is helping me type this, so hopefully we caught all the typos!**

* * *

**365: Day 103**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Ashley Seaver**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Bridges Built**

Aaron Hotchner went to the cafeteria to grab a quick lunch. He was in the office on a Saturday afternoon going over consults while Jack was spending the weekend with his grandparents. For him, working was better than being home alone doing nothing. He grabbed a chicken salad sandwich and a soda, and was on his way out as Ashley Seaver walked in.

"Hey, Hotch."

"Agent Seaver. How are you?"

"Good, sir. I've actually been meaning to come talk to you."

His brow furrowed with concern. "Everything alright?"

"Oh, yes, sir, everything is fine," she said, putting him at ease. "It's just that after my transfer we all hit the ground running and I never got a chance to thank you for recommending me to Andi Swan."

"You're welcome, but you didn't need much recommendation from me. Andi saw your work during the human trafficking case we worked together. She liked what she saw and came to me. You did strong work on that case, Ashley. It was recognized."

She smiled somewhat bashfully. "Thank you, sir."

"So I take it the transition was a good one?"

"Yes, sir." She smiled with confidence now. "It's been an incredible experience. I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be. We're doing a lot of good things here."

"That's good to hear," he smiled. "You're a good agent, Ashley. The experience is only going to make you stronger."

"I hope so. I have you and Agent Rossi to thank for being here at all. The last thing I want to do is let you all down."

"You just keep working and training as hard as you already are, and you'll do just fine. After all, your probationary period ended quite a while ago, and you're still here. The same can't be said for all of your Academy class. Just keep doing what you're doing, Seaver."

"I will. Thank you, Hotch. For everything."

He nodded and headed back to his office. She took his advice to heart. _ 'Keep doing what you're doing.'_ She picked up her lunch and got back to work.

* * *

04/13/2013

*The human trafficking case Hotch refers to is the season six finale, "Supply and Demand".


	104. Day 104: Normalcy

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone, for all the reviews and favorites/alerts. You all make me smile. :D See!**

**Here is the latest update on my baby cousin. He is doing much better. He's over the flu and is once again off the ventilator and cpap machine. He is on straight oxygen and they are slowly reducing it and he is holding his own. He does still have a low fever, but the heart medication he's on could cause that, so the doctors are not worried about it. If all stays like this, he could have his surgery late this week! Thank you all for the well wishes and prayers on his behalf.**

* * *

**365: Day 104**

**Characters: Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Normalcy**

There were certain things that Alex Blake relished on her days off...

Morning coffee and the time to make a decent breakfast. This morning it was a breakfast burrito of scrambled eggs, peppers, onions, asparagus, sausage, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

A hot, unrushed shower. She could take her time, shave her legs, deep-condition her hair. She could stand and let the hot water release the tension from her muscles as the steam filled her lungs, until the water turned cold.

Warm fluffy towels fresh from the dryer.

Curling up on the couch under a comfortable blanket with a good movie.

A second cup of coffee.

And afternoon nap.

Catching up on missed television shows on her DVR.

Stretching out in her backyard swing in the spring sunshine with a good book.

Even doing laundry and washing dishes.

She craved these days. Longed for them.

Days of normalcy.

* * *

_04/14/2013_


	105. Day 105: Memories Never Forgotten

**A/N: It's a sad day in the United States as once again the evils of men strike a city celebrating a joyous occasion. My heart goes out to the people of Boston, Massachusetts, as once again we as a nation shout, "Never forget. Always remember." I wasn't going to write about this, but right now it's the only thing I can think about. That being said, this is dedicated to the strong people of Boston, those from around the world who participated in the Boston Marathon, and to those who stand with Boston in their time of need. God bless.**

* * *

**365: Day 105**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Memories Never Forgotten**

The Supervisory Special Agents of the BAU were in San Fransisco when it happened. The "kids" were out interviewing witnesses and family members, and visiting the medical examiner. Aaron Hotchner was in their makeshift conference room studying the board. David Rossi had spoken with the local sheriff about some possible leads and was getting coffee for himself and Hotch. When he returned to the conference room, the look on Hotch's face stopped him in his tracks. He looked... devastated. Dave was immediately concerned.

"What's wrong?" he asked urgently. Hotch only nodded toward the small television mounted in the corner of the room. Dave turned to see the news of tragedy marring the Boston Marathon.

"Oh, God."

Less than thirty seconds later, Hotch's phone rang. He answered it quickly without looking at the Caller ID. He was expecting this call.

"Hotchner... Yes ma'am... I understand... Call us if you need us... Okay." And he hung up.

"Strauss?"

"Yes," he nodded. "The case is going to CTU for now, but we're on standby. For now she wants us to stay here and finish this. They'll call us if they need us."

Dave nodded and turned his attention back to the television as the news unfolded. He closed his eyes momentarily and crossed himself. Hotch sat at the table and hung his head sadly.

"What is it with Boston?"

"What do you mean?" Dave's brow furrowed.

"The Boston Strangler. Adrian Bale and his copycat. George Foyet. And now this." He sighed deeply. "Boston has been through enough."

"Very true," Dave agreed and sat next to his friend. Neither of them would take their eyes off the television. "One thing's certain, though."

"What's that?"

"Bostonians are fighters. And they're loyal to each other. They'll band together and get through this. And now they've got the entire world standing with them. Even Yankee fans."

Hotch chuckled. Baseball seemed such a trivial thing, but thought of Yankees fans standing arm in arm with Red Sox fans to help a great city in need painted a beautiful picture of brotherhood and humanity and good old fashioned Americana, that he couldn't help but smile.

Dave was right. Bostonians are fighters. Boston was in good hands. Boston would prevail.

* * *

_04/15/2013_

_A/N2: On a happier note, I have a new update on my baby cousin. He is finally well enough to have his surgery, which is scheduled for 7:30am ET tomorrow. Wish him luck! :)_


	106. Day 106: Zzzzzzz

**A/N: We're starting this note with some very happy news! My cousin had his surgery today. Took roughly seven hours. Everything went smoothly and his little heart is working wonderfully! It's amazing what the wonders of modern medicine can do. He's not even three weeks old yet and has already had open heart surgery. It just blows my mind. Thank you all so much for all the prayers, kind words, warm thoughts, and well wishes on his behalf. It is so greatly appreciated! You all get big hugs and big smiles from me!**

**Secondly... HOLY CRAP, PEOPLE! Over 1500 reviews! I am just floored by the response this story continues to get. You are all amazing! Totally amazing! Time for a SHOUT OUT! Special thanks to... Rockhotch31, Gemini-Victoria, Cat Jenkins, Sand n' Sable, Jerseybelle, AlexandriaZ (still praying for your cousin too, sweetie!), Annber03, Wotumba1, BBhotblooded, Shelly Hoffer 7, Mummacass, Pechika, P95000, Doc blu xx, castle1773, JessieWithAQ-MadamePresident, Sdia75, Ilovetvalot, and my mystery guest reviewer of the past few chapters! (I'd thank you personally, but I don't know your screen name!) Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!**

* * *

**365: Day 106**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Zzzzzz...**

The Gulfstream Jet glided smoothly through the clouds across the continent, carrying an exhausted band of BAU Agents from San Fransisco back home to Quantico. The hour was late, but they flew anyway, all eager to get home. The cabin was very dimly lit. Only the emergency lights on the floor and one overhead light beamed.

David Rossi was reading a novel and keeping watch over this hodge-podge of a family.

Derek Morgan was sleeping in his seat, earphones firmly in place. For the first time in weeks, he looked peaceful.

Spencer Reid was curled up on the couch seat, arms tucked under his head as a pillow. His growing hair hung down over his face. There were no signs of nightmares tonight.

Jennifer Jareau and Alex Blake were asleep side by side, sharing a blanket. He didn't know if it belonged to JJ or Alex, but it was clearly handmade and beautiful. And apparently very comfy if the serene looks on their faces said anything.

Even Aaron Hotchner, their workaholic boss, was asleep. Across from Rossi, he had his legs stretched out into the aisle and was using his suit coat as a blanket, head resting against the back of his seat.

Dave closed his book and smiled as he watched his crew sleep. This was how one could tell that the outcome of their case had been successful. Nobody was second guessing themselves. Nobody was trying to justify their decisions. Hotch wasn't burying himself in paperwork trying to exhaust himself so he could sleep.

Everyone was at peace.

"Good job, gang," he whispered, laying his book on the table. He reached above his head and turned off his overhead light. He stretched and made himself comfortable in his chair and joined the others in their slumber.

* * *

_04/16/2013_


	107. Day 107: We Got Your Back

**A/N: I will be answering reviews tomorrow. My apologies that I haven't gotten to them today. I had a pseudo family reunion tonight with some wonderful online friends! What a happy, fun evening! Therefore, this chapter is dedicated to TN, Rockie, Falc, Monk, Cinny, and West, who were there tonight. And to Doc, Zoni, Bleu, Sparks, FX, Red, Lulah, Yen, Wot and Lil, who I wish could have been there. All the people responsible for bringing me out of my shell. I love you guys!**

* * *

**365: Day 107**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Sam Cooper**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**We Got Your Back**

As Hotch sat at his desk finishing reports from their last case, his phone rang.

"Hotchner."

"What's up, Hotch?"

It was Sam Cooper, Unit Chief of the BAU's "Red Cell" team. The two men were good friends despite being polar opposites. For the most part Hotch was a very straight-laced, play-by-the-rules Unit Chief, strict but fair, and always vigilant about the welfare of his team. Coop was considerably more laid back, lax when it came to rules, but like Hotch, always vigilant about his team.

"Listen," Coop got down to business, "we all know what's going on with this Replicator Unsub. And I know that Fickler has been trying to pull you off the case."

"And we both know that's not ever going to happen," Hotch interjected.

"I never doubted that. Rumor has it that Strauss has even endorsed your continual inclusion in the case while you work other cases. I don't even want to know how you convinced her to do that."

"Don't ask," Hotch laughed. They'd both had their fair share of run-in's with Strauss over the years. Especially Coop. She hated his seemingly nonchalant, rogue way of doing business and his inability (or flat out refusal) to follow her orders. Strauss was every bit as straight-laced as Hotch (or so everyone thought). Strauss bending the rules threw even Sam Cooper for a loop.

"Anyway," Sam continued, "if you need a second set of eyes, you know where to find us. We've got your back, Hotch. All you have to do is say the word and every member of my team is right beside you."

"I appreciate that, Sam. I really do." He sighed. "The last thing we want to do is put anyone else in jeopardy. This guy has targeted us for whatever reason. The last time that happened and we involved other people, one of my agents was nearly killed. That's not a risk I'm willing to take. We have no idea what would set this guy off." He spoke, of course, of Elle Greenaway and Randall Gardner.

"I understand that, Hotch. Our teams are our families. We do what we've got to do to protect that."

"Exactly."

"Well, like I said. We've got your back."

"Thank you, Sam. Make sure you keep your eyes open out there. Who knows where this guy will turn up next."

"Will do. You all watch your asses."

"You got it."

They ended the call and Hotch smiled.

His team were not the only members of this family.

The whole of the BAU were family.

* * *

_04/17/2013_

_*Sam Cooper and Director Fickler are both from Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. On CM, whenever they mention the FBI Director, they never mention his name. They only say "The Director". On CM: SB, the character was given a name - FBI Director Jack Fickler - and was played by one of my favorite television actors; Richard Schiff (The West Wing). I like to bring him into my stories from time to time to pay tribute to Mr. Schiff._


	108. Day 108: Out of Ideas

A/N: Thanks again everyone for all the love and support. To share some good news, my baby cousin is doing very well following his surgery. He's off the ventilator and off a lot of the meds. He's been awake and alert and happy! He does have a chest tube, but it could come out as early as tomorrow. Yay! :)

* * *

365: Day 108

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Spencer Reid

Rating: K

* * *

Out of Ideas

They stood in front of the various boards that lined their conference room, or sat around the conference room table, looking for any ideas on how to proceed in catching this ridiculously clever unsub. They were all coming up blank.

Reid was studying the geographic profile, making sure he didn't miss anything. He'd gone over it 15 times now. He'd redrawn it three times. Nothing changed.

Hotch stood in front of the victim board, looking for anything to connect these poor souls. They were of both sexes, different races, religions, social classes, educational levels, even spoke different languages. They had nothing in common.

Dave poured over the autopsy reports looking for a pattern in the killer's modus operandi. Yes, they had all been drugged, but the same drug was never used twice, giving him nothing to connect the dots.

Blake, Morgan, and JJ were out visiting the crime scenes and interviewing witnesses again, looking for ANYTHING they could use to help them find this guy. Garcia was glued to her electronic babies searching for any electronic trail - email, financial records, methods of communication - and as much as she hated this feeling of helplessness, she could find nothing.

In the conference room, Dave closed the folder, haphazardly tossed his pen on the table and rubbed his hands over his tired face. Hotch finally turned his back on the board and sat down, laying his head on the table. Reid went in search of a new map to once again redraw the geographic profile. He was convinced he was missing something.

Not lifting his head from the table, Hotch mumbled, "I'm running out of ideas."

"Yeah, you and me, both," Dave concurred. "I haven't been this stuck in a while."

Reid returned with a new map. He dropped it on the table, stared at his empty coffee mug, and slumped.

"We're out of coffee."

They all sighed.

"We're getting nowhere, fast," Hotch stood. "Go home and get some sleep. Maybe if we step away from this for a while and come back with fresh eyes, we'll see what we're missing."

"Yeah, good idea," Rossi agreed.

Hotch called the others and told them to go home when they were finished. They'd pick this up in the morning. He looked over his shoulder at Reid.

"Leave the map here. Get some rest, Reid."

"Only if you leave the files here and get some rest yourself."

Hotch chuckled. "Deal."

Hopefully some rest would do the trick. They hoped they wouldn't wake to another victim.

* * *

_04/18/2013_


	109. Day 109: Do You Speak Japanese?

**A/N: I feel like a terrible host! I haven't been able to reply to all the amazingly wonderful reviews this week. I'm very sorry about that. I promise I will do better. I love you guys and am very honored that you take the time to give me your opinions on these chapters, and challenge me with requests. You all have made this journey most enjoyable, and I thank you very much for that! Many hugs to you all!**

**So, my husband is currently putting together our new entertainment center. Unlike many men you hear about, he is actually reading and following the instructions! Yay! It got me thinking about our resident gentlemen and how they would handle building something with wacky directions. Thus, this was created! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 109**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Do You Speak Japanese?**

It was a little cooler than normal on this spring Friday in Virginia, but tomorrow promised to be beautiful and full of sunshine. JJ and Will had bought Henry a new swing set last week and it had been delivered yesterday. Of course, some assembly required. JJ wanted to get it up so Henry could play on it Saturday, so she made an offer to her BAU family they couldn't refuse...

Burgers on the grill in exchange for a little manual labor.

And being the smart, savvy people they were, everyone took her up on her offer.

The team all left work at 4:00 that afternoon. Even Hotch! And they all met at the Jareau-LaMontagne residence. Will broke out the grill for burgers and hot dogs and everyone pitched in money, sending Reid and Alex to the store to pick up a few sides, chips, and drinks. While Will cooked and JJ and Garcia entertained Henry and Jack, the boys of the BAU began looking through all the random pieces that would eventually be a child's swing set.

"That's a lot more pieces than any swing set I ever had," Hotch commented.

"This is much better than a simple swing set," Morgan grinned. "Swings, a slide, monkey bars. I want to play on this thing!"

"Where's the instruction book?" Rossi asked.

"Psh! Who needs instructions?"

Will looked over the grill at Morgan. "I would like my son to live to see his fifth birthday, not get eaten by his swing set."

"Okay, okay," Morgan laughed at the Cajun. "I'll read 'em. Soon as we find 'em."

Rossi saw Blake and Reid pull into the driveway. "We'll find them in a little while. Food's here!"

"Burgers are just about ready, too."

"Sweet!"

The gang ate fairly quickly and helped clean up. Afterward, Reid entertained the boys with magic tricks and the girls pulled up chairs to watch as the boys attempted to put this monstrosity together. Rossi dug through the parts looking for the instruction manual, while Derek tried to decipher which piece was which on his own.

"Ah, there you are," Rossi found the instruction manual. He opened the first page and saw this...

"指示 - ステップ1."

"Uh-oh," He whispered. He flipped past the pages of Asian symbols and found English letters... but not English words...

"Instrucciones - paso uno."

"Hmmm..." A few pages later...

"Instructions - Première étape."

"Soooo... we may have a teeny little problem."

"What's that?" Hotch asked.

Instead of answering Hotch's question he asked one of his own.

"Hey Reid, do you speak Japanese?"

* * *

_04/19/2013_

_According to Google Translate, "__指示 __- __ステップ__1", "__Instrucciones - paso uno__", and "__Instructions - Première étape__" translates to "Instructions - step one" in Japanese, Spanish, and French, respectively._


	110. Day 110: Kanaka and Starcat

**A/N: I have no idea why this one popped into my head, but it did. So here you go!**

***I do not own "Psycho Beach Party". **

* * *

**365: Day 110**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Kevin Lynch, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Kanaka and Starcat**

Hotch was on his way to see Garcia in her lair, and silently hoping he would not see Kevin Lynch there. Not that he didn't like Kevin. Quite the opposite, in fact. But he knew if he saw the man today, he'd laugh hysterically, and then he'd have to explain why.

He knocked on Garcia's closed door.

"Enter, mortal!"

And so he did. And of course, day of all days, who should be standing to Garcia's left... Kevin Lynch. Hotch couldn't hold it back. He ducked his head and began to laugh.

"Sir, are you alright?" Garcia worried at the completely out of character moment for her boss. Keeping his head down, he held up one finger, signaling her give him a moment. Garcia and Kevin looked at each other, completely baffled. Kevin looked frightened. This was beyond uncharted territory for the both of them.

Hotch took some deep breaths and got himself under control... mostly. Every time he glanced at Kevin he got the giggles again.

"I'm sorry," he said to both of them, trying unsuccessfully to fight off the giggle fit demanding to let loose.

"Sir, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. It's just...I had the most bizarre dream last night," he pointed at Kevin, "and you were in it."

"Me?" Kevin squeaked.

Hotch nodded. "We were in some ridiculous 1960's style cheesy surfer movie and there was some crazy woman trying to kill everybody on the beach."

Kevin stared wide-eyed. "I've never been surfing a day in my life."

"Me either," Hotch started giggling again.

"OMG! That sounds like that crazy movie I watched last week. "Psycho Beach Party"!"

They both stared at her, looking confused.

"Oh, it's total cheese. Like, high stinky cheese. One of those movies that's so bad you can't look away." She looked at the two of them, head cocked to the side. "Actually, you guys do look like two of the main actors. Like... a lot like the main actors." She pointed at Hotch, "You look like the main surfer guy. And you," she pointed at Kevin, "look like the smart guy the girl has the hots for. The resemblance is a little scary, really."

Hotch and Kevin looked at each other.

"I don't think I ever want to see this movie."

"Me, either."

Hotch gave Garcia the rundown on what he needed for their case and turned to leave. He stopped at the door and turned back to look at Kevin. He shook his head, laughing again, and left.

"That was strange," Kevin turned to Garcia.

"Very strange indeed. Wonder what he had for dinner last night to bring on that dream."

"I don't want to know."

* * *

_04/20/2013_

_*"Psycho Beach Party" is an extremely cheesy spoof of the 1960's surfer movies and 1970's slasher movies. It stars Thomas Gibson (Hotch) as The Great Kanaka, a surfing guru, and Nicholas Brendon (Kevin) as Starcat, a smart university drop out. It's a pretty terrible movie, I must admit. But it's worth it to see Thomas Gibson holding a "spanky" paddle while wearing a corset. Just sayin'. :P_


	111. Day 111: The Best Medicine

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews everyone. I greatly appreciate them all! A quick update on my baby cousin. He is doing GREAT! He's out of ICU and in what's called a "step down" unit. Since he's out of ICU, his big brother (who is two) finally got to meet him today! The whole family finally got to be all together. :) He's off the oxygen and is doing so well that he may be able to go home this week. I can't thank you all enough for keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers. As you can imagine, it's been a very stressful time for them, but knowing there are so many people out there thinking about them has helped them all greatly. Thank you all so very much.**

* * *

**365: Day 111**

**Characters: David Rossi, Mudgie**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Best Medicine**

David Rossi entered his home, dropped his briefcase next to the coat rack by the door, and flopped unceremoniously on his couch. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes, letting his head rest back against the cushions. He was exhausted. The case had been a long one and hadn't ended as well as they'd hoped. Plus he was fighting a cold. His head ached. His muscles ached. His heart ached.

He needed a break.

He felt a familiar weight against his leg and opened his eyes to find his longtime loyal companion at his side, head resting on his knee. He smiled at the old dog and rubbed his head behind the ears.

"How do you always know?"

The dog appeared to quirk an eyebrow at him. He could almost hear the dog thinking, _'because I know you. Duh!'_

Mudgie nudged his leg and scooted closer. His master needed him and he knew it. Rossi, big softie that he was when it came to his dog, caved in.

"Okay boy. Come on." He patted the seat beside him and Mudge hopped up on the couch. He curled up next to his human, as close as he could get, and rested his head in his lap. Rossi chuckled to himself and showered affection on his dog. Somehow the dog always knew what he needed. And always found a way to make him feel better, feel wanted and needed.

Sometimes, dogs really were the best medicine.

* * *

_04/21/2013_


	112. Day 112: Back and Forth

**A/N: Hi gang! Hope you are all well! I feel like hugging people right now for no real reason, sooo... *GROUP HUGS***

***EDIT! GAH! For some reason this didn't post last night! I just got home from work and didn't know until a friend emailed me! SO SORRY! Day 113 will go up later today.**

* * *

**365: Day 112**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Back and Forth**

The team were on the jet, soaring southwestward to Texas to aid the San Antonio police in the hopeful capture of a sadistic killer. There were three bodies already, all attacked in their homes while their partners were at work. The team had all of the information from the San Antonio detectives on the case and were deep into their discussion, trying to build their profile when Hotch's cell phone rang. He stepped away to answer it while the others continued their discussion.

JJ saw him end the call, then walk to the curtained off cockpit area. Her brow furrowed.

"Wonder what's going on."

At the question, Rossi turned to see Hotch returning to his seat.

"We're turning around. San Antonio police caught him twenty minutes ago."

"What?" JJ asked, stunned.

"You're kidding!" Morgan said.

"How?" Blake asked at the same time.

"The husband of his would-be victim came home from work early and caught him in the act. The husband heard the commotion when he entered the house, found them in the bedroom, knocked the guy out and called 911. He was so caught off guard he couldn't even fight back. He's in police custody, currently at the hospital getting stitches."

"Wow," Reid said. "The odds of that happening are astronomical."

"What, no specifics?" Morgan teased.

"Nah. You can google it. Work those brain muscles instead of your physical muscles since we no longer have a case."

"Ooohhh! Burn!" JJ laughed. Morgan shot her a glare while Blake gave Reid a high five. Hotch and Rossi shared a laugh.

"So what did he hit him with that he's getting stitches?" Rossi asked.

"His laptop. Might not want to tell Garcia that part."

"Too late!" Garcia's voice rang out from the computer sitting on the table. Hotch cringed.

"Sorry, Garcia."

"It's okay," she sighed. "If one of my babies helped take down a serial killer, even if not in the way it should be used to do so, I can't be too upset."

They laughed and got comfortable, putting away the now unneeded files and enjoying some light, fun conversation as the Gulfstream Jet turned around and headed home.

* * *

_04/22/2013_


	113. Day 113: Playoff Bound

**A/N: Hi again! Many of you already know that I'm hockey crazy. And it's the last week of the regular season. Teams are fighting for playoff spots. It's intense and WONDERFUL! Man, I love hockey season!**

**This one is for Buka2000, whose beloved Washington Capitals clinched a playoff spot tonight! You know who else is a Caps fan (in my little world anyway)? Hotch! **

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**365: Day 113**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Playoff Bound**

Aaron and Jack Hotchner sat glued to their television set, both sporting their red Captials jerseys, cheering on their team as they played quite possibly the most important game of the regular season. Win tonight, and the Caps secure the Southeast Division title and a guaranteed playoff spot with just three games remaining. Standing in their way... the Winnipeg Jets, who were also fighting for a playoff spot.

The Caps came out of the gate strong, scoring the first two goals of the game. But the Jets would not go quietly into that good night, and just sixteen seconds into the second period, they were on the board. And fourteen minutes after that, the game was tied. Jack started getting discouraged.

"They gotta make it, Dad."

"They can do it. There's still a lot of time left to play. Don't worry just yet."

Turns out they didn't need much time, because thirty-seven seconds later, Washington reclaimed the lead. And they would not give it up again. The second period ended with Washington up 4-2.

To wrap up the evening, Jack got to cheer loudly as his favorite player, Alexander Ovechkin, scored the final goal of the night. When the buzzer sounded, Jack jumped off the couch and danced around the living room as the Washington Capitals won 5-3.

"We're going to the playoffs! We're going to the playoffs!" He ran to his dad, gave him a high five, and continued his running/bouncing/dancing - type thing. Hotch couldn't help but laugh at his son's excitement.

"Now our team, and Big Derek's team, and Miss JJ's team are ALL in the playoffs!" He spoke of Derek's Chicago Blackhawks, who were the number one seed in the Western Conference (and quite possibly the best team in the NHL), and JJ's Pittsburgh Penguins.

"Cool!" Hotch could see the wheels in his little guy's head twirling. "Can we have a Stanley Cup Playoffs party? Pleeeeeeeaaaaase?"

"I think we could probably make that happen." _As long as we don't have to go out of town_, he thought.

"Yes!" Jack resumed dancing once again.

Hotch leaned back and smiled as he thought of JJ and Derek tonight. JJ's Penguins were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, Derek's team the best in the West. And his Capitals were highly motivated and on a roll, winning nine of their last ten games.

Yes, this was going to be an adventurous playoff season. Now if he could only calm his seven year old hockey fanatic enough to get him to bed. It was a school night, after all.

* * *

_04/23/2013_

_*All information for tonight's game between the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets was taken from . No copyright infringement intended. All rights reserved._

_*To my boy, Falc... I know I just broke your heart a little bit by making JJ a Penguins fan. Sorry. But East Allegheny, PA is just across the river from Pittsburgh! Yes, I consulted Google Maps to make sure it wasn't near Philly. I could never have made her a Flyers fan! So yeah. Go Penguins Go! :D_


	114. Day 114: Just Saying Hi

**A/N: Hope everyone is having a good night! Thank you all for the reviews/alerts/favorites, and all the smiles and laughter and joy! :)**

**To Rockie, Monk, Falc, Cinny, and TN (wish you were there) and Yen (hopefully next time)... YAY for Skype!**

* * *

**365: Day 114**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Just Saying Hi**

After a long day of tedious paperwork and too much coffee, Hotch finally had an empty inbox of files to complete and a full outbox ready to deliver to Strauss in the morning. Then he made the mistake of looking at the clock, groaned and rubbed his temples. No wonder he was exhausted and starving. It was 9:00pm. He called Jessica and apologized for the late hour, but he was on his way home.

He arrived home twenty minutes later. Jack was already asleep. He apologized again and she assured him it was fine. She and Jack had a good evening, he finished his homework and had a shower. There were leftovers from dinner in the fridge if he wanted them.

After she left, he went to check on Jack. He was sleeping soundly, blankets tucked up to his chin. He smiled and brushed a soft kiss on his forehead, then closed his door slightly and went back to the kitchen to find dinner. He heated up a few slices of pizza, took his plate to his desk and turned on his laptop. His computer was set up to automatically log him into Skype whenever he booted up. Looking at his contact list, he noticed Beth was online. He smiled and sent her a message.

'Hi you.'

'Hi back!'

'Just got home. Chat for a bit?'

Instead of replying in text, he received a Skype call. He answered it with video chat.

"Hi there."

"Hi yourself," she smiled back at him. "You look tired."

"Yeah, long day. Just got home about twenty minutes ago. How was your day?"

"I had a nice easy day for a change. It was a pleasant surprise."

"That sounds wonderful. I want one of those."

"They definitely come in handy from time to time," she giggled at him. He chuckled in return.

"So where's little Hotch?" she asked. She was used to seeing him pop up behind his dad's shoulder when they Skyped.

"He's already asleep. He was out before I got home."

"Bummer. Give him a hug for me, will you?"

"First thing in the morning." He smiled again, loving how quickly she had taken to Jack, and how Jack had taken to her nearly as quickly. They truly enjoyed each others company. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I can't wait to see you again."

"Me too. Hopefully soon Jack and I can take that trip to New York we were talking about."

"I hope so. I can't wait to show him the Children's Museum. He'll love it."

"I'm sure he will. He really enjoys that kind of thing. He loves learning new things."

"Well there is definitely enough there to keep his knowledge-loving mind occupied for days."

"Then I can take him to his Uncle Sean and let him spoil him while I spoil you for a day or so." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she outright laughed.

"That definitely sounds like a plan."

"I'm glad you were on tonight. I need to go try to sleep. I have to be in early for a meeting tomorrow morning."

"I'm glad, too. It does me good to hear your voice. I like knowing you're home in one piece."

"I like being home in one piece."

"Take care of yourself, Aaron. Be safe."

"You, too. And I will. At least I'll try to be."

"That's all I can ask. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

He ended the call and smiled at the now blank computer screen. A few minutes with her always made him feel better. Especially after a long, frustrating day. Sometimes he just needed to say 'Hi'.

He finished reading his email and shut down his computer. He took his plate to the dishwasher, checked in on Jack one more time, then turned in, hoping to get at least a few hours sleep before another long day.

* * *

_04/25/2013_


	115. Day 115: Meeting Day

**A/N: Wotumba1, P95000, Rutland, Prettymind2, Sand n' Sable, BBhotblooded, Doc blu xx, Mummacass, Random Reader 17, Brummie 10, AlexandriaZ, Rockhotch31, Pechika, Gemini-Victoria, Jerseybelle, Cat Jenkins, Namira 0.0, Monkeywand, Annber03, Shelly hoffer 7, Tannerose5, Buka2000, and my guest reviewers... Thank you all so very much for sticking with me on this long and winding roller coaster of a journey. **

* * *

**365: Day 115**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Meeting Day**

David Rossi was sitting at his desk working on his morning files when his door opened and a slightly disheveled Aaron Hotchner entered. He closed the door behind him, leaned against it, and let his head fall back with a thud. Dave stared at his friend, wide eyed and mouth agape.

"Hotch?"

"Shh..."

"Aaron."

"Shh... They'll hear you."

"Who?"

"Strauss. And whatever her committee of the day is now."

Dave continued to stare at the man in his office. "So what are you doing in here?"

"Hiding." He finally opened his eyes and looked pleadingly at his friend. "Don't make me go back out there, Dave. I can't take sitting through another pointless, useless meeting. I've run my hands through my hair so much it's going to start falling out!"

Dave couldn't hold back a chuckle. "That certainly explains a lot."

When Hotch rolled his eyes upward to attempt to look at his own hairline, Rossi dropped his head and nearly doubled over in laughter. He slapped his hand over his mouth and Hotch closed his eyes tightly as they heard the clank of heels on the catwalk.

"Agent Hotchner," the voice of Erin Strauss called through the closed door, "We're meeting in ten minutes. Agent Rossi, regardless of what he may tell you, his presence is required. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," they both answered begrudgingly in unison.

As they heard her clank away, Hotch hung his head. "I should have known she'd find me here."

"Next time, go to Garcia's lair. Probably the last place she'd look."

"I'll keep that in mind." He ran his hands through his hair again, this time trying to put it back in place, and sighed deeply. "I hate meeting day."

"I don't envy you that, partner. Good luck."

"Right." He exited the office to venture to his fourth meeting of the day, followed by the sound of Rossi's laughter.

* * *

04/25/2013


	116. Day 116: Exhaustion

**A/N: I have a question for those of you who write fan fiction for this site... Are any of you having issues when trying to reply to reviews? I used to be able to reply to reviews one after the other with no problem, but now I get a time limit message or something like that. I can reply to two or three and then it won't let me reply to anymore. I have to wait and come back to the others later. It's driving me crazy! That's why I haven't replied to many reviews the last two days. But I am reading them all and am very appreciative of all the feedback! Thank you all, for everything.**

**And holy crap! 1700 reviews! Damn, y'all really know how to make a girl smile! (Did you see my southern accent come out there?)**

**I have to be at work at 6:00am tomorrow morning, so this is a very short chapter, and now I'm heading to bed. Have a good night everyone! *waves***

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**365: Day 116**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Exhaustion**

After his long day in what he called "meeting hell", it took Aaron Hotchner quite a while to wind down once he got home that evening. He made dinner for himself and Jack, helped him with his homework, got him bathed and put to bed. They read the latest chapter of their book before Jack finally conked out. After tucking him in and placing a soft kiss on his forehead, he went back into his living room and poured himself a drink.

He turned on the television, caught up on the news from around the world while trying to quiet his mind enough to allow sleep. But his mind was running on a seemingly endless loop, as was usually the case after a day full of meetings ranging from team safety and weapons requalifications to budgetary concerns and political agendas. His top two objectives in these meetings were always the same: protect his team at all costs and don't shoot anybody. The second part was becoming harder and harder with each meeting. They left him feeling frustrated, angry, and mentally drained.

He finished his drink, checked his emails, made Jack's lunch for tomorrow, ironed his dress shirt, watched Craig Ferguson, and at nearly 2:00am he finally fell asleep. Only to be awakened by the buzzing of his cell phone on the nightstand at 3:47am. It was Dave. They had a case. An ugly one.

"Forward everything to my email. I'll work on it from here until I take Jack to school. Call me when you get set up in the conference room and we'll go over everything. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He ended the call and got out of bed. He went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. Then he made some coffee and sat at his desk to start another very long, very exhausting day.

He hoped he could stay awake for it.

* * *

_04/26/2013_


	117. Day 117: Plane Sleep

**A/N: This is a continuation of "Day 116: Exhaustion". Thanks again everyone for all the reviews and favorites/alerts.**

* * *

**365: Day 117**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Team**

**Rating: K+**

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**Plane Sleep**

Hotch walked onto the jet a little after 8:00am carrying two travel trays of coffee. He looked like death warmed over. It was obvious to everyone that he hadn't slept. He handed out coffee to everyone and took his seat, preparing for takeoff.

"Did anything new come in since we talked?"

"Nothing yet," Morgan answered before taking a sip of his coffee. "Thanks."

"You look like hell," Rossi stated, noting the especially dark circles under his eyes. Hotch simply nodded. "Did you sleep at all?"

"A little over an hour, maybe."

Rossi looked concerned. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," he assured him. "Just couldn't sleep. Being stuck in meetings with bureaucrats all day does that to me."

"I'm pretty sure I'd have nightmares," Morgan joked, actually getting a half-smile from Hotch.

"We've got a three hour flight," JJ mentioned. "Why don't you try to get some sleep."

"We'll wake you if anything comes up before we land," Reid chimed in.

"Alright. You should all get some rest, too. I have a feeling we're not going to be sleeping for a while."

"We will," Blake acknowledged.

"Tell Garcia if anything new comes up to patch us through to local PD immediately. We hit the ground running when we land."

"You got it," Morgan nodded. "Go to sleep, Hotch."

"Thanks guys."

He moved to the back of the jet and stretched out across two seats. He used his suit jacket as a blanket and within minutes was sound asleep. The others all made themselves comfortable for the long flight. Blake moved to sit in front of Rossi.

"Does he always push himself on so little sleep?"

"Sometimes. Insomnia is not uncommon among BAU agents. But you know us," he smiled. "We always look out for each other."

"Very true. It's a welcome sight. And a good feeling. Always nice to know someone's got your back."

"Still getting used to that, huh?"

She chuckled. "Maybe a little."

Rossi nodded. "Get some rest, Alex."

"Yeah. You, too."

She moved back to her seat and looked around the jet. As usual, Morgan had his headphones on and his head reclined back. JJ and Reid were leaning on each other, JJ dozing while Reid read a book. The laptop was on a table, but the screen was blank for now. If Garcia needed them, she would appear, like their very own genie in a bottle... well, laptop. She looked back at Rossi, who was watching Hotch. She settled in and smiled.

Always looking out for each other.

* * *

_04/27/2013_


	118. Day 118: A Letter To Mom

**A/N: Just wanted to take a sec and thank those of you who have favorited my work recently, not only this story, but some of my earlier work as well. Thanks very much for reading! And I'm glad you liked what you saw! :)**

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**365: Day 118**

**Characters: Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K**

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**A Letter To Mom**

Dear Mom,

Hi. It's Spencer. It's Sunday, April 28, 2013.

I hope you are well and are enjoying the spring weather. I know how you like to sit in the garden and read while enjoying the sun and the warm breeze. The weather is much nicer there than here in Virginia. It's getting warmer finally, but it is raining a lot. During these times, I miss the Las Vegas sunshine.

It has been a very busy time for us lately. We've had cases in Colorado, Illinios, and Minnesota lately. Of course, all in cold states during the early spring. I wish I could have come to see you when we were nearby in Colorado, but there just wasn't time. I hope you understand. I'm sorry I haven't been to see you lately. I miss you.

I wish I could tell you I'm well, but you would know I was lying. While I am getting better, I'm still struggling with my friend's death. I've never lost someone so close to me before. I've never been in love before. Most days I am okay, but sometimes the feelings of grief and loss sneak up on me and I feel it all over again. I do talk to the team about it when it happens now. I don't try to handle everything by myself anymore. I learned very quickly that it wasn't productive or healthy for me to fight this battle alone. They all understand when I'm having a bad day. They try to help in their own ways. A game of chess, a trip to a coffee shop or bookstore, talking. I couldn't ask for a better support system than my team. I know I couldn't have gotten through this time without them.

I have some vacation time coming soon. I promise to come and see you. I know spending some time with you would make me feel much better. I miss you. Everyday. I love you, Mom.

Love,

Spencer

* * *

_04/28/2013_


	119. Day 119: How Do You Do It?

**A/N: I have some great news to share with you all! Little Wyatt went HOME today! One day after turning one month old. He did have to go home with a feeding tube - still having some troubles in that department - but still, the entire family is finally home. Thank you all, once again, for all the supports, happy thoughts, prayers, and the like. You are all wonderful people and you make our hearts swell with happiness!**

**Also... *shameless plug* I've posted my entry to the "Everything's Coming Up... Flowers!" challenge. It's called "I Want You To Know". It is a Hotch/Rossi established relationship, but no explicit content. Just a sappy, sentimental love story. Check it out! :)**

**And now, on with tonight's "365". This chapter is dedicated to working moms and dads...**

* * *

**365: Day 119**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

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**How Do You Do It?**

As Jennifer Jareau hung up the phone and returned to her seat on the jet, Alex Blake looked at her in wide-eyed wonder.

"I have no idea how you guys do it."

"What do you mean?" JJ asked.

"How do you and Hotch find enough hours in the day to do this job with our crazy hours and still raise such well-rounded kids? When I get home from a case, the only thing I want to do is crawl into bed and not move for a few days. But you guys have what must amount to another full day's work waiting for you when you get home. With homework and playtime and bathtime and bedtime, which, if kids are the same as they used to be, is never an easy task, how do you not just fall over from exhaustion?"

JJ couldn't help but chuckle. Blake seemed beyond fascinated at her ability to stay conscious. "A lot of it is that we both have a strong support system around us. We're not doing it alone. Hotch has Jack's Aunt Jessica. She keeps him when we're away. And Rossi helps Hotch coach Jack's soccer team. I have Will, and our neighbor watches him when we both have to be away. She's an incredible help. She has a son around Henry's age, so he loves staying with her. And I don't feel so worried about leaving him because I know he's well looked after and well protected.

"I guess it really boils down to being able to leave the agent at work and just be mom at home. When I'm home, Henry and Will get 100% of my time. Henry doesn't need me to be the monster slayer. He just needs me to be Mom. And that's what I give him. It's being away at night that's the hardest part. That's when Henry goes into "mommy mode" and all he wants is to be held and cuddled. When he gets like that and I'm not there, Will has a terrible time getting him to sleep. He calls me and I have to talk to Henry until he falls asleep. It's the only thing that works. And it breaks my heart every time."

"Well, you and Will and Hotch should all be very proud of the job you do. You really do have exceptional children. Whatever you're doing, you're doing right. And I applaud you for it."

"Thanks, Alex" she smiled. As a mom, that was the best compliment she could receive.

* * *

_04/29/2013_


	120. Day 120: Adjusting

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for all the kind words of support and encouragement! We've come to the end of month number FOUR!**

**My girl, Rockhotch31, gave me the idea for this one. I was a bit stuck and she pulled me through. Thanks babe! This chapter references events from "Day 55: Evaluation" and "Day 78: Making Amends". Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 120**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Adjusting**

Hotch and Rossi sat in Hotch's office, each sipping a finger of scotch. These were moments where the Unit Chief and the Senior Profiler could discuss the dynamics of their team, strengths and weaknesses, and any issues that either felt needed to be addressed. Tonight the subject of conversation Alex Blake.

"Everyone seems to be meshing well with Blake," Rossi mentioned.

"Yes they have. I'm glad to see it. I'll admit, I was a little worried."

"I think it helped that Reid already had a good relationship with her."

"True. And she has her own reputation," Hotch added. "They knew they were getting a solid agent before she got here."

"That definitely helped," Rossi agreed. "I was most worried about Garcia."

Hotch chuckled a bit. "You and me both. I shudder to think of what Garcia could have done had they not gotten along."

Rossi laughed. "She may look like she wouldn't hurt a fly, but she's scary as hell."

"You're telling me," Hotch shook his head. "I don't ever want to be on her shit list."

They clinked glasses, toasting to that, and took another sip.

"I was worried about Morgan, too," Rossi admitted.

"Yeah," Hotch nodded. "He and Emily are very close. I know the transition was hard for him, but he's handled it very well." He took another sip. "He's grown and matured a lot in the past three years. I'm proud of him."

"You should tell him that."

"I will."

They got quiet momentarily, each finishing off their drinks, before Rossi spoke up again.

"Blake is still worried about Strauss."

"I spoke to Strauss about that a few weeks ago. She assured me whatever is in their past will not affect this team. I know she's trying to make amends, and Blake is understandably cautious. Believe me, I know how she feels. But we got through our issues. They will too. In time."

"That's what I told her. She likened this new and improved Strauss to 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'."

That got a good laugh out of Hotch. "Yeah, she's fitting in just fine."

"Agreed."

* * *

_04/30/2013_


	121. Day 121: Let The Games Begin

**A/N: Okay, trying something new again. Hope you like it... in a twisted sort of way! *mwahaha***

**Look! We made it to MAY!**

* * *

**365: Day 121**

**Characters: Unsub**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Let The Games Begin**

He stood in the laundry room of the small cabin. He stripped off his dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine. He put on the sweatpants and t-shirt he kept on the shelf beside the washer. He emptied the contents of his bag into the large sink on the opposite wall and put on gloves. He always took care with his tools, cleaning them with precision, placing them into protective cases, admiring them. The knife was his favorite. It was special: a collectible, with an intricately carved ebony handle and a beautiful shimmering blade that never seemed to stain or tarnish. It had its own shadowbox. It never stayed in the shadowbox for long. He didn't like to be parted from it.

He brought the knife with him into the kitchen while he made coffee. Once it was done, brought them both into the living room. He sat in his favorite recliner, knife in his lap, coffee in hand, and turned on the television. Local news was airing live from a crime scene. They were not showing the scene itself, rather they were stationed just outside the crime scene. The public couldn't see the masterpiece on the other side of the trees. The body, the blood. His knife did such beautiful work, and yet the public couldn't see it.

Then something happened. Something wonderful!

They were here!

The FBI! He'd done so well that they had to bring in the FBI!

He was overjoyed. He had to force himself to be calm. He couldn't wait to play with the six agents currently standing in the background of the news anchor as she relayed a few minute details of the murder that had occurred here. He rubbed his hands together gleefully before picking up his favorite toy - his knife - and running his finger very carefully down the edge of the blade.

He laughed, a sound that would have sent chills down the spine of a normal person. He, of course, was far from normal.

As the FBI man in the suit spoke to reporters, the man in the chair spoke to the man on the television.

"Let the games begin..."

* * *

_05/01/2013_


	122. Day 122: What Have You Done?

**A/N: Thanks everyone for the amazing feedback on last night's chapter. It was a fun one to write in a twisted, demented sort of way. *mwahaha* SHOUT OUT TIME! *deep breath* Special thanks to Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Shelly Hoffer 7, Mummacass, Gemini-Victoria, Annber03, Wotumba1, Pechika, P95000, Rutland, Sand n' Sable, Jerseybelle, BBhotblooded, Namira 0.0, AlexandriaZ, Random Reader 17, JessieWithAQ-MadamePresident, and Not-Knowing-Is-Everything. Thank you all so much for the reviews, encouragement, and ideas. You guys are awesome! That is all.**

**Rutland gave me the idea for tonight's chapter. Therefore, this one is for you! Hope you like it! Follow up to "Day 121: Let The Games Begin".**

* * *

**365: Day 122**

**Characters: Unsub, Wife**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**What Have You Done?**

He wanted the game. And now the game was over. He tried to play the FBI. The FBI proved they were much better at the game than he was. He only thought he was the master. He was wrong. They were the masters.

He'd gotten cocky, allowing his arrogance to lead him instead of his brilliant mind. And in turn, he'd gotten sloppy. He made a mistake and they found him. They'd found the cabin. Found his tools - his toys. And even more unfortunately for him, they'd found his home address.

And his completely unsuspecting wife had been home.

As he sat in a holding cell waiting to be processed, he replayed the scene over in his mind.

They'd had a nice dinner. He'd sat down on the couch and turned on the television. She went upstairs to change her clothes. Then they were there. Banging on the door. Then kicking in the door.

"FBI!"

His wife ran down the stairs as he was being cuffed and searched.

"What's going on?! Jeffrey! What's happening?"

"Jeffrey Langham, you're under arrest for the murders of Jannie Tidwell, Lorraine Sewell, Brandy Chatham, and Sherrie Mason. You have the right to remain silent..."

"Murder?!" His wife was hysterical by this point. The blond female agent caught her on her way down the stairs and held her back. "This has to be a mistake. Jeffrey! Tell them there's been a mistake!"

He said nothing. She begged. Pleaded. The blond agent tried to keep her under control, tried to move her to a nearby chair as the others escorted him out. The agent in the suit from the TV stayed with her. As they were on their way out the door, he overheard the male agent.

"Ma'am, please sit down. I'm sure there is an explanation. I just need to ask... do you recognize this?"

The agent showed her a knife in a plastic evidence bag. He heard her gasp is shock... in horror. "That was a gift. From... from my father. They used to hunt together before he died. My God," she sobbed. "What have you done? Jeffrey! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

As he sat waiting in his cell, he could hear her screams and pleas and sobs echoing in his mind. And he realized...

He felt nothing. He was only sad his game was over.

* * *

_05/02/2013_


	123. Day 123: Musings

**A/N: One more follow up to the previous chapter. Hope you like! Thanks everyone for the reviews!**

* * *

**365: Day 123**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennfier Jareau**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Musings**

"What are you thinking about?" Hotch asked JJ as he drove from the Langham house back to the police station. He and JJ had stayed behind until Elizabeth Langham's sister arrived to stay with the distraught wife of their Unsub.

"I can't stop thinking about what must be going through Elizabeth Langham's mind right now." She kept her gaze turned toward the window, away from Hotch. "To find out the man you've loved over half your life is a killer, and you had no idea. How does that even happen?"

"Sometimes I think it would be easier for a loved one to hide something like that from us than a stranger," Hotch answered, his voice that of quiet understanding. "We put so much trust in the people we love. Unsubs like Jeffrey Langham prey on that trust. They're confident that the wife or girlfriend would never suspect them because _'he's a good man, he'd never do such a thing'_. For them, that's the most exciting part of the game: making their loved ones completely blind to the real man behind the facade."

JJ sighed. "I can't even begin to fathom what such broken trust feels like. I mean, they were married for twenty years, together much longer. To find out such a horrible truth about the man you thought you knew better than anyone... how do you ever trust anyone again? How do you trust yourself again?"

"A lot of that depends on the support system around you. Some families come out on the other side still whole. Others never recover from the shock or the shame, never able to trust again. I know I wouldn't be able to. I would second guess every decision I ever made."

"How does anyone live like that?" She sounded so sad. He glanced over at her in time to see the lone tear drop from her eye before taking his gaze back to the road.

"It will take a lot of time, and counseling. Maybe even moving away and getting a fresh start. It's important to remember that she won't be trying to overcome this by herself. She has family, friends. She has that support system around her. They'll help her find her way again."

He pulled into the parking lot of the police station, finding a space beside their other government issued SUV. He parked and turned to fully face JJ, who hadn't said anything else during the ride. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You have a beautiful heart, JJ. Don't let this job jade it. There are a lot of good people still out there."

She gave him a very slight smile and nodded. "Yeah. It would be nice if we could see the good instead of the evil once in a while."

"Yes, it would."

* * *

_05/03/2013_


	124. Day 124: Princess of Power

**A/N: Thank you all once again for the reviews! I'm glad you're all still enjoying this and I haven't bored you all yet. I apologize that I haven't replied to reviews in a few days. As many of you may know, it's Stanley Cup Playoff time, and I'm very easily distracted by hockey! I will reply to you all tomorrow. Promise! Anyway, I hope you like this one. Time to have a little fun in the Jareau-LaMontagne home.**

* * *

**365: Day 124**

**Characters: Will LaMontagne, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Princess of Power**

Will was sitting on the living room floor with Henry as they played with his action figures and cartoons played on the television in the background. Not the current cartoons that held no interest to his son. No, the boy had fallen in love with Will's DVD collection of 1980's cartoons. Currently, he was on a He-Man/She-Ra kick.

"Mama coming home tonight?" Henry's little voice asked. This was the time of night he always wanted his mom. It was nearing 9:00pm. Bed time.

"Not tonight, little buddy," Will ruffled his hair. "She's still trying to slay the monsters."

Henry looked at his father with a serious gleam in his eye. "Monsters are scary, Daddy."

"I know they can be. But you know what?"

"What?"

He pointed at the television. "Who do we say Mama's like?"

Henry looked at the television and smiled. "She-Ra!"

"That's right. And who's She-Ra?"

"Princess of Powerrrrrrrrrrrr!" He did his best impression of the cartoon, causing his father to laugh. He laughed in return.

"That's exactly right. And I don't know if you know this, but monsters are afraid of She-Ra."

"Really?"

"Yep. You know why?"

Henry smiled big. "'Cause She-Ra's AWESOME!"

"You got it, buddy," Will laughed.

They went back to playing with their action figures, and a few minutes later the phone rang. Will looked at the caller ID and smiled. "Guess who, bud."

"Mama!" Henry got up and ran to Will. He picked up the phone and put it on speaker.

"Evening Love," he said as Henry shouted, "Hi Mama!" at the same time. They could hear her chuckling on the other end of the line.

"How are my favorite boys tonight?"

"We're having a good night filled with manly things like action figures and He-Man."

"Sounds like I'm missing quite a party."

"Mama, did you catch the monsters?"

"Not yet, buddy. Hopefully tomorrow. I can't wait to see you. I miss you."

"Miss you too, Mama. You need your She-Ra sword. Daddy said monsters are 'fraid of She-Ra."

"Daddy's right," she chuckled. "Maybe that's what I'm missing. Thanks bud. I'll remember that for tomorrow."

"Yay! Then you can come home."

"I hope so. You ready for bed?"

"Yeah."

"Good boy. Give your Daddy a big hug from me, okay?"

"'Kay! Night Mama!"

"Goodnight, buddy."

Will took the phone off speaker while Henry ran up the stairs to his room. "You guys doing okay out there?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "This is a tough one. I'm hoping for tomorrow, but it could be a few more days."

"Okay. Maybe we'll be out of this He-Man/She-Ra kick by the time you get home. I'm ready for Thundercats."

She laughed. "I'm so glad he likes the old stuff. Those new cartoons are crap."

"Agreed." His voice took on a more meaningful tone. "You guys be careful out there."

"We will. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Goodnight, Love."

"Goodnight."

* * *

_05/04/2013_


	125. Day 125: Close Calls

**365: Day 125**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Close Calls**

Hotch sat at the back of the jet away from everyone in quiet contemplation. He was looking out the window, hand resting against his chin, but he wasn't seeing the clouds or the sunset. He was replaying the events of the past twelve hours over in his mind looking for the point of error. One of his team was in imminent danger, was slightly injured, could have been killed, and it was his responsibility to prevent such situations from happening.

Rossi spent several minutes watching him from his seat near the front of the jet. He knew exactly where his friend's mind was going. And Hotch couldn't be more wrong. There was nothing he could have done to prevent what happened. Dangerous situations were a hazard of the job. Everyone knew that. They accepted it when they took their oaths. But he knew Hotch would always hold himself responsible.

Rossi stood on the pretense of getting coffee. He poured two mugs and went to sit with Hotch.

"You can stop beating yourself up now, you know," he said as he took a seat, placing one mug in front of Hotch and sipping the other. Hotch acknowledged his presence but didn't speak. Instead he turned his gaze back to the window.

"I assume you know why I'm sitting here," he tried again. That got him the patented Aaron Hotchner glare, which worked on everyone else on the planet except him. "I'm here to combat that little voice in your head that's telling you it's your fault that Morgan was in that situation."

"You can stop now, Dave."

"No, I can't. Not while you're still trying to blame yourself for something that you had absolutely no control over."

Aaron closed his eyes and rested his head back against the seat. He knew Dave was right. He also knew Dave wasn't going away anytime soon.

"I know you feel responsible for the well being of everyone on this team. You're the Unit Chief. But surely you understand by now that you are not responsible for the actions of deranged men. What happened today was the Unsub's fault. It was his choice. We were able to diffuse the situation and Morgan is fine. He trusts you with his life, and today you helped save it. That's what you should be focusing on. Not blaming yourself for an unpredictable situation."

"I know you're right, Dave," he finally looked at him. "It's just hard to make my brain understand that sometimes." He sighed deeply. "Today was a close call. Too close."

"Yes, it was."

"It's going to take me a little while to get past that."

"I know. But you will. Because everyone came out of it okay. Nobody was injured. The Unsub is in custody and can't hurt anyone else again. And tomorrow we'll all go back to work." Dave stood to return to his seat. "Get some rest, Aaron."

"Thanks Dave."

"Anytime," he smiled.

* * *

_05/05/2013_


	126. Day 126: Local Hope

**A/N: An update on little man Wyatt before I get on with the story... He is officially off the feeding tube! YAY! He's still not quite eating as much as he should be, but he's close enough that doctors no longer think the feeding tube is necessary. They still have to monitor his eating closely, but for now he is a happy, healthy baby boy at home with his big brother. All is right with their little family now. Thank you all so much for asking about him, and thinking about him and the family.**

* * *

**365: Day 126**

**Characters: The Locals**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Local Hope**

A few regulars sat at the counter of the southern diner enjoying their various breakfasts of scrambled eggs, grits, biscuits and gravy, waffles, and coffee. Lots of coffee. The diner wasn't as crowded for breakfast as usual. Most people were staying indoors and out of public places. There was a killer on the loose in their small town. These few regulars, however, refused to be held hostage in their town. They still came every morning, sat together along the counter, chatted with the waitresses and the cooks. They weren't completely uncautious. They looked over their shoulders more often. They sat somewhat sideways in their chairs, backs not completely to the door. The staff kept a constant watch of the doors and windows, watching for anything that seemed out of place.

Two black government SUV's pulling up in front of the diner got their attention. Four men and two women entered the diner and sat at the large rectangular table in the far corner, three to a side. One of the waitresses went to take their orders and all eyes at the counter followed. When she returned and gave the orders to the cooks, some of the regulars waved her over.

"Hey Dawnie, who are those guys?" an older gentleman asked.

"That's the FBI," the waitress whispered back.

"Really?" a younger man asked, surprised. "The FBI came all the way out here?"

"Looks that way," she said.

"That kid looks too young to be FBI. He can't be more than 25." The older gentleman spoke of SSA Dr. Spencer Reid.

"The blonde looks young, too," a middle aged woman mentioned, speaking of SSA Jennifer Jareau.

"The guy with the goatee looks familiar," a thirty-something woman mentioned, still looking toward the table.

"He should," another waitress joined the conversation. "That's David Rossi."

"That's it," the woman acknowledged. "He's the writer. I've read his books. They're intense."

"True crime usually is," the waitress nodded.

Dawnie left the conversation to deliver the coffees to the agents, all of whom were very grateful. She returned a few minutes later with their breakfasts. When she got back to the counter, the regulars all looked at her for more information.

"They're already working on the case," she told them. "The young one is plotting all the crimes on a map and doing something with all these different color pens. And the guy in the suit is telling everyone where to go once they finish breakfast. He must be the leader. And the black man and the older woman keep passing files back and forth. And they're all bouncing ideas off of Agent Rossi. They're really on this case, guys. They really are here to help stop this killer."

"I hope they're as good as their reputation," the younger man said, still a bit skeptical of the FBI agents.

"They are, son," the older gentleman said.

And two days later, the agents of the BAU proved the older gentleman to be speaking the truth.

* * *

_05/06/2013_


	127. Day 127: The FBI Man

**A/N: Random Reader 17 planted a little idea in my head with a suggestion in her review. Therefore, this one is for you! Not sure if this is quite what you had in mind, but it popped into my head after reading your review and I couldn't let it go. :D**

**This is a follow up to "Day 126: Local Hope"**

* * *

**365: Day 127**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, A Local Child**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The FBI Man**

The team were visiting the most recent crime scene in the small southern town. It was not far from the diner where they'd had breakfast yesterday morning. They'd been there for the better part of two hours and were wrapping things up, preparing to return to the station to compare what they'd discovered with the evidence from the previous crime scenes and hoping they could get ahead of this guy before he wreaked anymore havoc on this friendly town.

Before they got to their SUV's, Hotch's phone rang. It was Chief Strauss requesting an update. While Hotch spoke to Strauss, Morgan went across the street to a small food mart to get something to drink for the drive back. He picked out a few soft drinks and a few bottles of water for the team and got in line to pay.

A young boy, roughly six years old, who was in the store with his mother, noticed the big man and watched him closely. He chewed nervously on his bottom lip, wondering if it would be okay if he talked to him. He had a very important question to ask him. He looked back at his mom, who was looking at something on a shelf, and back at the agent. He was paying for his drinks and getting ready to leave. The boy knew it was now or never, so he left his mother's side and ran up the aisle to the big agent.

Morgan was pocketing his change and about to leave the store when he felt a tug on his jacket. He looked down to see the young boy with big brown eyes staring up at him.

"Are you the FBI Man?" the young boy asked in his timid little voice.

"Yes, I am. Where's your mom?"

"Over there," the boy pointed. The boy's mother, hearing her son's voice, turned to see him talking to the agent. She ran to him, embarrassed.

"I am so sorry! He got away from me."

"It's okay," Morgan smiled, and knelt to the boy's eye level. "What's your name, little man?"

"Bobby."

"Hi Bobby," he held out his hand. "My name's Derek." The boy shook his hand.

"Are you gonna catch the monster?"

Morgan looked at the boy, then his mother, and smiled at them both. To children, all bad guys are monsters. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You see that group of people out there by the big black truck?" he asked the boy.

"Yeah."

"Those are my friends. They are some of the greatest monster catchers in the whole world. And we're gonna do our very best to catch him. So you don't have to worry about that. Okay?"

The big brown innocent eyes looked up at him. "Promise?"

Morgan held out his hand, pinkie finger extended. The boy smiled big and latched his little pinkie with that of the agent.

"I promise," Morgan said with sincerity, knowing that the most important, sacred promise in the world to a six year old is the pinkie promise. He ruffled the boy's hair, getting a giggle from him, and stood. The boy's mom held out her hand to Morgan.

"Thank you for that. And for being here for our town."

Morgan shook her hand. "You're welcome."

* * *

_05/07/2013_


	128. Day 128: I Understand

**A/N: This is a post-ep (more missing scene, really) for 8x22 "Nanny Dearest" and will contain spoilers for tonight's magnificent ep! The first few sentences are directly from the episode and belong to Virgil Williams, the writer of this brilliant ep.**

* * *

**365: Day 128**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**I Understand**

"You should be out there right now!" Melody Peyton's distress was beginning to manifest itself in anger at the agents who were unable to find her missing two year old daughter, Phoebe. "Even my husband is out there looking, putting up fliers," she cried at Hotch in the elevator. "How can you be looking for her from in here?"

"I understand what you're going through," he'd tried to reason.

"You don't understand anything!"

"I acutally do," he said quietly, thinking back to the most difficult few months of his life. "Maybe we can find a place where we can talk."

She seemed momentarily stunned by his words. What did he mean? Did he have a child taken from him like this? Unable to process what he meant, she simply nodded in agreement. They got off on the second floor and walked to the small cafe that served the municipal building. They each got coffee and sat at a small table away from the other patrons.

"I'm sorry," she fidgeted with her cup. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Please don't apologize," Hotch said. "I know what a miserable time this is for you and your husband. Please know that my team and I are doing everything we can to find Phoebe. I know it doesn't look like much on the surface, but what we do in that room helps us narrow down where to look so we're not running blind. Being out there running in any direction doesn't do your daughter any good. Having as much information as possible and developing a strategic plan will help her. I promise you, we are doing everything, EVERYTHING, to try to find Phoebe."

"I know," she nodded, wiping at her tears. "I just... I feel so useless sitting here. My baby girl is out there somewhere and... I'm her mother, I'm supposed to protect her."

Hotch reached across the table and covered her hand with his as she began to cry again. "I understand. Two members of my team are in Seattle speaking with a woman who was once a victim of this man. We're hopeful she can give us some insight that will lead us in the right direction."

"You think she'll help us?"

"I certainly hope so. She could be the breakthrough we need."

She nodded. She finally seemed to be settling down. She took an extra napkin, wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

"Agent Hotchner, what did you mean in the elevator? It seemed to be deeper than understanding because you work these cases all the time. Did something happen to your child?"

Hotch took a deep breath to prepare himself. "About four years ago, we were working the Boston Reaper case. We caught him, but he escaped and decided to make my family and I his targets for revenge. He broke into my apartment and attacked me, and left a very real threat against my ex-wife and our son. The only way we could protect them was to put them into protective custody. I couldn't know where they were, couldn't see him, couldn't speak to him. And there was no timetable for their return. They only way they could come back was if we caught him again. I had no idea if I would ever see him again. He was only three at the time. He turned four while in protective custody. It was the most excruciating four months of my life."

"Four months? So you found him?"

Hotch shook his head sadly. "He found them. He conned her into thinking he was a US Marshal and arranged a meeting, then called me to gloat about it. He let us talk and I was able to get a message to my son to go hide until I came for him. I was able to save Jack, but I wasn't fast enough to save Haley. The phone was still on. I heard him kill her. The few minutes of not knowing if my son had been killed or not... I couldn't breathe. My entire world crashed down around me until I was sure he was alive and I was able to hold him in my arms again."

"My God," she gasped, tears once again streaming down her face. "I'm sorry. He's okay now, right?"

"Yes he is," he smiled. "He still has nightmares from time to time, but he's a well adjusted kid, good student, decent athlete. He makes friends easily. He overcame everything he went through fairly quickly. I couldn't be more thankful for that."

"That's good," she sniffled, but looked away. Her heart ached for her daughter.

"I'm not the only parent on my team. Agent Jareau and I have both been in situations were our sons were in extreme danger. I promise you, from one parent to another, we are not going to give up. We are not going to stop until we find a way to bring Phoebe home. In the meantime, know that you are not going through this alone. We're all here, and we're doing the very best we can with what we have. I know it doesn't look like much, but it's a good start." He looked at his watch. "We should get back upstairs."

They stood and threw away their paper cups. Before they could leave, she hugged him. "Thank you. So much."

"I know its hard, but hang in there. We are going to catch him."

And they did.

* * *

_05/08/2013_


	129. Day 129: A Crick in the Neck

**A/N: My apologies once again for being behind on answering reviews. Been a busy and exhausting week. I work in retail and it's Mother's Day week here in the States. I'm wiped out! I promise to get back on track soon. Please know that, as always, I am very grateful for the response from all of you. Thank you all so much for taking the time to ride along on this journey with me!**

**This is a follow-up to "Day 128: I Understand". This is for my Rock-star!**

* * *

**365: Day 129**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jessica Brooks, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A Crick In The Neck**

It was very late when the team returned to Quantico after finding Phoebe Payton and her nanny, Gina Mendez, alive and well. They couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Little Phoebe was unharmed. Gina was injured but would recover. Tara Rios got some much needed closure to the events of her tortured past. The team were unharmed. And an annual kidnapping and killing spree was brought to an end.

And the only thing Aaron Hotchner wanted was his boy. JJ had fled the BAU as soon as possible to get home to her son. This case affected her deeply. Much like he did, she always took cases involving children personally. And she had done magnificent work on this case. He completely understood her single minded desire to get home to her son as soon as possible. He wished he could rush out as well, but as the Unit Chief, he had to stay and complete the reports.

He called Jessica as soon as they'd landed. He knew Jack would be asleep and didn't want to move him. He asked if he could come and stay at her place and she told him he never needed to ask that question. He was always welcome. So he finished his reports and made a bee-line for Jessica's house. She was still up when he arrived after midnight, waiting with a cup of hot tea for him.

"Sounds like this was a rough one," she said softly.

"The ones involving kids always are," he sighed, taking a sip of the warm soothing liquid. "Thankfully this one ended with the best possible outcome."

"That's good to hear," she smiled.

"Yeah." He sipped his tea, constantly glancing up the staircase where he knew his son was sleeping soundly. "I couldn't be away from him tonight. This case brought back some difficult memories."

She saw a glimmer of a tear at the corner of his eye.

"You're an incredible father, Aaron. My sister would be very proud of how well you and Jack are doing together."

He smiled sadly. "It's times like this that I miss her the most."

"I know," she rubbed his arm gently. "So do I."

He averted his eyes, the residual guilt still resting in his heart, and finished his tea. He took the cup to the kitchen and put it in the dishwasher, regaining his emotional control in the process before returning to the living room. Jessica was still waiting for him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he took a deep breath. "I'm going to look in on Jack."

"I've got the guest room ready for you. Get some rest, Aaron."

"Thank you."

"Always," she said before retreating to her room.

Aaron put his bag and his suit jacket in the guest room and went to check on his son. Jack had his own room at his aunt's home since he spent so much time here. Just as Aaron expected, his boy was sleeping soundly wrapped snugly in his blankets. He placed a gentle kiss on the side of his head and knelt next to his bed, keeping one hand on his back. He finally let the unshed tear fall from the corner of his eye. Reliving those memories of four years ago had taken its toll and now he was finally allowing himself to feel it. '_Thank you, God,_' he thought as he watched Jack sleep. His son was happy and healthy and exactly where he was supposed to be when so many children weren't.

He shifted from kneeling to sitting on the floor and rested his head on his arm. He knew how badly he needed the rest, but he couldn't make himself leave Jack's side. He continued to rub soft gentle circles on Jack's back, careful not to wake him. He was so tired he didn't even realize he was drifting off, and before long he was sound asleep, head still resting on his arm on Jack's bed.

* * *

The following morning Jessica got up and made coffee. She was surprised that Aaron hadn't made it downstairs yet. He was always a very early riser. She went upstairs to check and found the guest room hadn't been slept in. She smiled and shook her head. She knew where to find him. She went across the hall and quietly opened Jack's door. The sight she found warmed her heart. Aaron was still asleep sitting on the floor with his head resting on his arm on Jack's bed. Jack was awake and running his small fingers through his dad's hair, exactly the same way his dad often did to him. He looked up when he heard the door open, and smiled at his aunt.

"Daddy's home," he whispered with a big smile on his face.

"I know," she whispered back. "He got here very late last night."

"He's still asleep. I don't want to wake him up."

"That's very thoughtful of you, but I think we should. He's going to have a bad crick in his neck from sleeping like that."

Jack nodded his approval, and Jessica gently nudged Aaron's shoulder, hoping to wake him without startling him. Aaron opened his eyes slowly and was greeted by the beautiful eyes of his son looking back at him. He smiled and pulled Jack into a hug.

"Morning, buddy."

"Hi, Daddy. Why are you on the floor?"

He chuckled. "Well, I wanted to be close to you last night, but you've grown so much that we both won't fit in your bed anymore. So I sat on the floor and then I fell asleep."

"Aunt Jessica said you was gonna have a bad cricket in your neck."

Jessica giggled from the doorway. "That's a crick in his neck, Jack. Not a cricket."

"A cricket in the neck would probably be more fun," Aaron said, rolling his neck around trying to loosen the stiff muscles. He reached his hand around to massage the back of his neck.

"So you got a crick?" Jack asked.

"Yes I do." He reached across the bed to tickle his son. "But it's worth it to wake up to this."

Jack got loose, still giggling, and wrapped his arms around his dad's neck. Aaron hugged him close tightly.

"I missed you bad, Jack."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I missed you too, Daddy."

They pulled out of their hug and sat forehead to forehead watching each other.

This. This is why they did the job. This was worth it.

* * *

_05/09/2013_


	130. Day 130: Sit This One Out

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the feedback from the previous chapters. Knowing what you do and don't like, what you would like to see happen, what tugs at you emotionally, what keeps you coming back, all of these things help to make me a better writer. Thanks for letting me know! **

**Sooooo... special thanks to Rockhotch31 (my Rock Star Jedi Knight!), Cat Jenkins, Wotumba1 (I miss you!), Brummie10 (Go Pens Go! :P), Sand N' Sable, AlexandriaZ, Pechika, P95000, Mummacass, Jerseybelle, Shelly Hoffer 7, Doc Blu xx, BBhotblooded, Namira 0.0, Random Reader 17, Annber03, Akasha Rose, Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, Prettymind2, Tannerose5, Gemini-Victoria, Rosiebasset, Buka2000 (Caps!), Rutland, ifreakinglovefanfiction, Titi25, MalikaiDragonSlayer, and TheMysteriousGeek2345.**

* * *

**365: Day 130**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Sit This One Out**

It was Friday and the team were hoping against hope that they were heading for a weekend off. But of course, just when they started to get comfortable in the thought, a case came across Aaron Hotchner's desk that could not wait. And thus, they would soon be heading off to Missouri. He gathered the team in the conference room and broke down the details of the case, what few he had so far anyway, and gave them his usual half hour to get ready to go. As they were departing the conference room, he asked JJ to wait a moment. She sat back down while the others left.

"Sit this one out, JJ."

She looked at him, completely stunned. "What are you talking about, Hotch?"

He took the seat beside her. "It's highly unlikely we're going to solve this case in two days. Sunday is Mother's Day. You should spend it with your son."

"I appreciate that, Hotch, but if the team needs me..."

"We do need you. But your son needs you more."

She looked at Hotch warily, wondering what had brought this on. They'd all worked holidays before. Mother's Days, Father's Days, Easter, Christmas. While she was grateful, she wondered what made this year so special? True to top Profiler form, he read her curious gaze like a book. And his eyes turned sad. He dropped his gaze to focus on the table in front of him.

"I think a lot about Haley this time of year," he responded, and she began to understand. "Henry's the same age now that Jack was when Haley died. Jack only got to spend four Mother's Days with her. And he remembers that."

The gravity of that realization hit JJ like a ton of bricks and knocked the air out of her lungs. Henry was four. Jack turned four while in protective custody. The thought of anything like that happening to Henry was just... just... "God, Hotch."

"There's nothing I wouldn't do to be able to give that back to him, but I can't. The least I can do is give it to Henry."

When he finally looked back at her, there were tear tracks on her cheeks. And he was struggling to keep his own emotions in check.

"Sit this one out, JJ. Go be with your son."

She nodded, unable to verbally respond through the lump in her throat. Hotch got up and gathered his case files. Before he could exit the room, JJ caught his arm. When he turned, she hugged him tightly.

"You're a wonderful father, Hotch," she whispered. "Don't ever forget that." When she let go of him, his eyes were glistening.

"Have a good Mother's Day, JJ."

"Thank you."

Once Hotch left the conference room, JJ pulled out her cell phone and called Will.

"Hey."

"Hey," he answered with a smile in his voice.

"I'll be home for dinner."

"Great. So, no case?"

"We got one, but I'm sitting this one out."

He'd noticed a hint of sadness in her voice. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I'll explain when I get home. I love you, Will."

"I love you, too. You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah. I just... I need my boys tonight."

"We'll be here waiting."

She ended the call and prepared herself to cherish every second of these three extra days she'd been granted with her son.

* * *

_05/10/2013_

_*In the United States, Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 12._


	131. Day 131: Fairy Godmother

**A/N: This is chapter two of a three part "Mother's Day" arc and follows "Day 130: Sit This One Out". Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 131**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Fairy Godmother**

At roughly 2:00pm Saturday afternoon, Penelope Garcia showed up at the Jareau-LaMontagne home. She and her four-year-old Godson had a plan. The little man needed the perfect Mother's Day gift, and his Fairy Godmother was the perfect person to help him find it. She swooped in, picked up her Godson, and swooped out before JJ knew what hit her.

"What was that pink blur?" she looked at Will.

"You saw it too, huh?" he laughed.

"I think it flew away with our son."

"Yeah, Fairy Godmothers are good at that. You know what this means?"

"What's that?"

Will grinned mischievously. "It means I get you all to myself for the rest of the afternoon."

She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed the back of her neck. Oh yes, they would take advantage of this gifted afternoon...

* * *

Garcia and Henry held hands, swinging their arms back and forth, as they walked through the mall looking for the perfect gift. Of course, they made a detour at the toy store. And the arcade. And lunch at the McDonald's with the Playland.

But now they were getting serious. The gift had to be perfect. Little Henry was determined. They looked in card stores, in knick-knack stores, jewelry stores, but nothing was the perfect present for his mom. He was starting to get discouraged.

"There's nothing here, Aunt Penny," he sighed.

"Well, let's go get some ice cream in the food court and regroup. Maybe that will help us think of something."

"Sounds good to me!" Henry lit up. After all, ice cream makes everything better when you're four.

So to the food court they went. She got a raspberry smoothie. He got a scoop of rocky road on a sugar cone. They sat at a table and thought about things Henry could get for his mother. Coffee mugs, "World's Greatest Mom" statues, books, movies, music. But none of those seemed right. While Henry was finishing his ice cream cone, Garcia let her eyes wander, looking at the various shops surrounding the food court. They were running out of time.

And then... she saw it!

"Henry! I've got it! It's perfect!"

"What? WHAT?!"

She told him her idea and his eyes lit up like Christmas. "You're right! It's perfect!"

She took him into the restroom to clean the chocolate ice cream off his face, and then they hit the photo booth. She put him inside and let him go crazy. Cute faces, silly faces, arms in the air, chin in his hands, and any number of different poses his four-year-old mind could think of. She encouraged him to be as fun and silly as possible, and by the end they had about twenty dollars worth of photos.

Afterwards, they took the photos back to her apartment and spread them out so Henry could pick out his favorites. She then scanned them into her computer and created the perfect Mother's Day collage.

Henry watched the whole thing sitting on a stool by her side, eyes glowing in amazement as the perfect Mother's Day gift was created right before his eyes. When she finished, they bumped fists and shared high fives. And he threw his arms around her neck.

"Perfect!"

* * *

_05/11/2013_


	132. Day 132: Happy Mother's Day

**A/N: Okay, so apparently the site is having alert issues. Not just story alerts, but review alerts as well. *sigh* I did go directly to the story and see all your wonderful reviews. Thank you all very much! And HOLY COW! You've managed to push this story to over 2000 reviews! TWO THOUSAND?! I can't even... I mean... I just... There are not enough words in the English language (or any other for that matter) to express my gratitude. I am truly humbled. Thank you!**

**This is part three of a three-chapter arc. Direct follow-up to "Day 130: Sit This One Out" and "Day 131: Fairy Godmother".**

* * *

**365: Day 132**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Henry Jareau-LaMontagne, Will LaMontagne**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Happy Mother's Day**

Jennifer Jareau-LaMontagne woke to the delicious smell of eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and coffee. One glance at the clock told her she'd slept much longer than she expected. She looked at the alarm on her phone and realized Will must have turned it off, allowing her to sleep in on this gifted Mother's Day she was spending at home. She smiled and stretched her limbs before getting out of her comfy bed. After a trip to the bathroom and putting some warm socks on her cold feet, she made her way to the kitchen.

She stopped in the doorway watching the two most wonderful men in her life as they prepared a breakfast fit for an awesome mom. Will had a kitchen chair pushed up against the cabinets beside the stove so he could stir the gravy, which was technically already done and was sitting on an eye on low heat to keep it warm, while Will prepared the eggs. The bacon was already done and sitting on a paper towel covered plate to catch the grease. The biscuits had about three minutes remaining before they were ready. And the coffee pot was full.

"It smells delicious in here," she made her presence known. Henry looked up at Will and gave him a big smile.

"She likes it!"

"Of course she does," Will smiled back at him. "It's all her favorites and you helped make it."

He helped Henry out of the chair and he ran to his mom, throwing his arms around her waist. "Happy Mother's Day, Mama!"

"Thank you so much, baby," she picked him up and hugged him tight. "This day is starting off wonderfully. Did you help Daddy do all this?"

"Yep!"

"It looks great!" She sat him down and went to Will, who was just pulling the biscuits out of the oven. He leaned over and kissed her.

"The best mom ever deserves the best breakfast we can give her," he winked at her. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. That wink always had that effect on her. He went to the table and pulled a chair out for her. "Breakfast is served, my lady."

He prepared her plate and her coffee exactly how she liked it. She put strawberry jelly on a biscuit for Henry while he munched on the bacon. While she was occupied, Will brought in a vase of red, pink, and white roses and sat them in the middle of the table. JJ's eyes lit up.

"Will, they're beautiful," she stood and leaned over the table, inhaling their scent. "And they smell so good. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The three enjoyed their breakfast with lots of laughter, her boys telling her about their adventures in breakfast making. And Henry, who had been mostly secretive about his afternoon with Penelope the day before, told them of some of their excellent day.

"So what did you finally decide on?" she asked after he told them how hard it was to find the perfect present.

"I can't tell you yet. You have to finish breakfast first!"

She laughed and tickled his belly, then turned back to her breakfast. It didn't take long for them to clean their plates, and the only things left were a few biscuits on the tray and a little gravy. They put the leftovers in the refrigerator and JJ refilled her coffee. Then Henry grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room.

"Sit here," he pulled her to the couch. "I'll be right back!"

She did as he asked, and he ran to his room.

"What's he up to?" she asked.

"No idea," Will answered. "He wouldn't tell me what he got you."

Henry came running back with a colorfully wrapped box. He handed it to her and bounced on the balls of his feet waiting for her to open it. As soon as she did, tears sprung to her eyes.

Inside the box was a hand-decorated 8x10 picture frame, with designs and stars and smiley faces in all of JJ's favorite colors. And in the frame was a collage picture of her boy. There was one big picture in the middle surrounded by several smaller pictures of him in random poses. Some serious, some silly, one of him wearing Garcia's hot pink glasses with her yellow scarf wrapped around his head like a headband. There was one of him crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue, and one of him smiling his beautiful smile.

The big picture in the middle was of him holding a sign that said "Happy Mother's Day! I Love You!"

She sat the picture frame up on the coffee table and pulled her only son into the world's biggest hug.

"That was the greatest Mother's Day present ever. I love you, so much."

"I love you too, Mama."

Will sat beside them both, smiling brightly. "That was the perfect present, Henry. You did a great job," he said, rubbing his back.

"Aunt Penny helped me."

"We'll have to do something special for her one day soon, huh?" JJ said.

"Yeah."

JJ kissed her son and hugged him again. And made a mental note to take Garcia to lunch Monday to thank her for helping her son make this the greatest Mother's Day ever.

* * *

05/12/2013

*The biscuits and gravy are a tribute to Josh Stewart (Will LaMontagne), who stated on twitter during the recent contract negotiations that CM without AJ and Kirsten would be like having biscuits with no gravy. And then stated after the contracts were signed, "looks like we're having biscuits and gravy!" Dude is a riot! :D

Happy Mother's Day!


	133. Day 133: Hugs Full Of Happy

**A/N: Ok, so one more little snippet for the Mother's Day arc and I'll move onto something else. But I had to write this little scene. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 133**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Hugs Full Of Happy**

Jennifer Jareau entered the BAU and sat her travel coffee mug on her desk. She stored her purse in the bottom right desk drawer and booted up her computer. And then she went in search of her best friend. She'd seen her car, Esther, in the lot and knew she was here.

She went to Garcia's lair and knocked on the door.

"Enter, Mortal!" JJ chuckled as she entered.

"Ah!" Garcia's face lit up. "The magnificent mother of my perfect godson! What may I do for you this fine morning?"

"You can give me a hug."

Garcia spun around in her chair and got up. JJ hugged her fiercely.

"Thank you so much for helping Henry with his present. It couldn't have been more perfect."

"Oh honey," Garcia said, "anything for you guys. You know that."

They pulled out of their hug and sat down, JJ taking Kevin's usual chair.

"You should have seen him at the mall Saturday," Garcia said. "He was so determined to find the perfect present and he was getting discouraged until we found the photo booth. I just put him in there and let him go crazy. JJ, he had so much fun. I could hear him just cackling behind the curtain."

She was telling the story in an animated fashion that only Garcia could muster. JJ was laughing to the point of tears. She told her all about them going back to her apartment and creating multiple combinations of the pictures until they found the perfect set, and the fist bumps and high fives, and pizza for dinner.

"Now that explains why he was so hyper when you brought him home."

"Guilty as charged."

"Well, he had a great time and you two came up with the perfect Mother's Day present. It now resides in the center of the mantle."

"I was more than happy to help our little man out."

"He certainly had a blast." JJ's cell buzzed with a message from Hotch. Meeting in ten minutes. She stood from her chair. "You're the bestest Fairy Godmother ever," she hugged her again. "Thanks for everything, Garcia."

"As always, my pleasure," she waved her out the door and turned back to her babies to begin a new day's work.

* * *

_05/13/2013_


	134. Day 134: So Proud

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone! I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy that fluffy lighthearted arc. Now it's time to get back to my usual angsty dramatic self. Doesn't help that I watched "100" and "Slave of Duty" earlier tonight. Tears ahead! You've been warned.**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 134**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**So Proud**

The team arrived home from their weekend case late Sunday night, so Hotch left Jack at his aunt's with the promise that he would pick him up from school on Monday afternoon. He left work at 2:30pm to make sure he was outside the school by 3:00, just in time for the final bell. He waited in the pick-up line with the other parents as the first graders were led out by their teachers. He could see Jack. He looked a little sad but was covering it well in front of the other kids. _'Too much like his father.' _Once he got to the front of the line, Jack's teacher led him to the curb and he got into the car. Aaron waved at the teacher before driving off.

Usually Jack was exuberant after school, talking non-stop about what he'd learned, what his friends were up to, what fun things his teacher did during science class. But today he was quiet. Aaron looked in his rearview mirror to look at Jack. His sadness was showing through now that he wasn't trying to put up a front. Aaron tried starting the conversation, hoping Jack would tell him about his day.

"How was school, buddy?"

"Fine," he sighed.

Now Aaron knew something was wrong. He pulled into the parking lot of a nearby grocery store and parked. He turned to face his son.

"Climb up here, bud."

Jack unbuckled his seat belt and climbed over the center console into the front passenger seat. Aaron reached out and brushed his fingers through Jack's hair, pushing it out of his eyes. "What is it, Jack? What's the matter?"

"Everyone was talking about Mother's Day." A single tear fell from his eye and put a stranglehold around his father's heart. Aaron pulled him into his lap and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Jack," he whispered. "I know that was hard for you. But I want you to know something. Look at me."

Jack sniffled and lifted his head from his dad's shoulder. Aaron brushed his tears away with his thumb and kissed his forehead.

"Mom would be so very proud of you. You've grown into a strong, brave, kind boy. You're a good friend and you're so smart and funny. And you have such a good heart." He brushed another tear away. "I know she misses you as much as you miss her, but I know she's looking down on you and smiling because you make her so proud. And you make me proud. And I'm so glad to be your dad."

Jack wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck and Aaron held him close. "I love you so much, Jack. Mom loves you, too. Always remember that, okay."

He felt Jack nod against his shoulder. They stayed like that for several minutes with Aaron rubbing his back and Jack never unwrapping his arms from around his dad's neck. It was Jack who finally broke the silence.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"Can we go see Mommy?"

"Sure. Do you want to go inside and get her some flowers?"

"Yeah," he sniffled.

Aaron found a few tissues in the glove compartment and cleaned Jack up a bit, and they went inside the store. They went to the floral department and found several bright colorful bouquets. Jack picked the one with the brightest most colorful flowers in pinks, purples, blues, oranges, and greens. He smiled up at his dad, who nodded in agreement. These were perfect for Haley. They purchased the flowers, went back to the car, and drove to the cemetery.

Aaron and Jack walked hand in hand to Haley's grave, Jack carefully holding the flowers in his other hand. Aaron knelt beside her gravestone and brushed away some stray leaves and dirt. Jack looked up at his dad and smiled as he placed his flowers on the ground beside his mother's name.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mommy. I love you."

* * *

_05/14/2013_


	135. Day 135: Compromising

**A/N: Thanks again for all the wonderful comments, everyone. I'm glad you're still enjoying things! This one is a very brief post-ep to tonight's episode, "#6", written by the amazing Breen Frazier. **

* * *

**365: Day 135**

**Characters: Alex Blake, James Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Compromising**

Alex Blake and her husband, James, sat on the couch in a warm embrace. Their relationship was a unique one. One built on love and trust, yes, but also one built on the love of the job. They were both admitted workaholics, and they fit well together, both understanding the demands of high profile careers.

He was exhausted. Ten months away from home, away from his wife, in a desert would do that to any man. "South Sand-istan" he'd called it. He was ready to be home at the end of the day. Ready for decent hours and pay that's worth it. Ready to cook dinner and do laundry and just... be. And he could have that with the teaching offer made to him from Harvard University. And he hoped she would accept Harvard's offer to take her on as well.

But in his heart, he knew that wasn't going to happen. Alex was always strong willed. Always put one hundred percent into the job. Especially when she felt she had something to prove. It's part of what drew him to her in the first place. She was a go getter. Never backed down from anyone.

And she had something to prove now. He knew how much the BAU meant to her. How much it meant to have this second chance to rebuild her reputation. To prove that she was a damn good agent and was worthy of being a member of the most elite team of agents in the Bureau. He knew she was. But she needed to prove it, not only to outsiders or her teammates, but to herself.

"Thank you for understanding," she mumbled against his neck. She was having a hard time letting go of the man she'd been away from for ten months. He smiled and held her closer.

"I knew it was a long shot. But I had to try."

"Keep trying. One of these days I might say yes to your offer."

"But not yet?"

"No. Not yet."

"Okay."

They hugged a little longer before finally letting go.

"So," he said, "when do I get to meet the team that has snared my girl?"

"You should come by for lunch tomorrow. I can introduce you to everyone at once."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he smiled. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Forget dinner," she grinned mischievously. "I want dessert."

She kissed him passionately and he returned in kind.

"Welcome home."

* * *

_05/15/2013_


	136. Day 136: Digging Deep

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews everyone! And for the follows and favorites, not just on this story, but on my others as well. All are much appreciated! **

* * *

**365: Day 136**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Digging Deep**

The team continued to work diligently day in and day out on case after case. They traveled the country helping law enforcement in major metropolitan areas and small rural towns that barely made a blip on the map. They'd dealt with all manner of serial criminals: psychopaths, sociopaths, pedophiles, the list goes on and on. Every case held changes and challenges that forced them to alter their perceptions, rethink the possibilities, in order to stop them.

And through all the changes, one thing remained the same. And it got under Derek Morgan's skin.

The Replicator was still out there.

Stalking his team. His family. Laying in wait for them. Watching. Waiting.

And quite frankly, it pissed him the hell off.

After everyone left for the day, Morgan went to have dinner and a local diner, then returned to the office. He gathered the original files from every case they'd worked that The Replicator had duplicated. He gathered the files on The Replicator's duplicated murders. He brought the coffee pot from the breakroom into his office. And prepared for a long night of digging deep.

"Alright you son of a bitch," he said out loud to no one. "Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it. I will find your ass."

He opened file number one and began his search.

* * *

_05/16/2013_


	137. Day 137: Meet The Family

**A/N: A few of you asked if I would write the chapter with James Blake meeting the BAU team. Your wish is my command! Here you go! I hope you like it. **

* * *

**365: Day 137**

**Characters: Alex Blake, James Blake, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Meet The Family**

Knowing the team would be in the office all day, Alex thought it would be a good time for her husband to meet her new team. She checked the lunch plans with everyone and they all agreed to lunch at a small diner about a mile away from the Bureau. The girls piled into one car, the guys in another, and the seven of them drove to the diner. James would meet them there. As luck would have it, they all pulled into the parking lot within seconds of each other. Alex went over to him, stealing a hug and a kiss, before bringing him over to meet the team.

First to greet them was Spencer. After having worked with Blake for many years as a guest lecturer in her class at Georgetown and developing a friendship, Spencer had met James a few times before. The two men shook hands. A sign that Spencer trusted him, as he didn't shake hands with most people.

"Welcome home," he said, smiling. "It's good to see you again."

"Thanks, Spencer. It's good to be home."

One by one Alex introduced him to the other members of her team and they went inside.

Garcia nudged Alex with her elbow to get her attention. "He's a hottie, Agent Blake!"

Alex laughed out loud and nodded her agreement. JJ playfully pushed Garcia's shoulder, and Morgan shook his head as they entered and found a large round table in a far corner that would fit the eight of them. A waiter took their drink orders and while they looked over the menu, they made small talk.

"So ten months," Morgan began. "Must feel good to sleep in your own bed after so long."

"It's a dream come true," James nodded. "I slept twelve hours that first night. Of course, I'm sure the jetlag had a little to do with that."

"Alex told us you were serving in... what was it," Rossi glanced at Alex, "South Sand-istan?"

They shared a chuckle before James answered. "Yeah, that's it. I don't ever want to see sand again. Not on a beach, not in a sandbox, not anywhere."

"I'm hoping to talk him out of that by this summer," Alex kidded. "I need at least one beach trip a year."

"Hey, if he won't go, we'll go," JJ said. "Right Garcia?"

"Oh heck yeah! Girls only beach trip. I'm so there!"

"No 'Green Fairies' allowed on that trip!" Morgan teased, recalling JJ and Penelope's extreme hangovers a few months ago after indulging in one Green Fairy too many. Both ladies groaned.

"No Green Fairies," they made a pack with each other.

"What's a Green Fairy?" Alex asked.

"It's an evil, evil drink at our favorite bar," JJ answered. "Don't ask me what's in it, 'cause I have no idea. All I know is that it's absolutely delicious and will mess you slap up!"

They all shared a laugh and before they knew it, their food was on the table. Things got quiet for a few moments while everyone took bites from their various sandwiches.

"So," Hotch sat his sandwich down, "how long are you home?"

James looked at Alex and smiled. "Actually, I decided to leave Doctors without Borders. Harvard made me an offer to teach, so I'm taking it."

"Harvard doesn't invite just anyone," Rossi stated. "Congratulations. That's quite an accomplishment."

"Thank you. And it was just time to be home. It's been too long and I miss my wife." Alex and James shared a look that said 'I'll be in the bed waiting for you by 6:00 tonight', and Alex blushed ever so slightly. "This most recent deployment was the longest of my tenure. It was brutal. I'm not interested in being away for that long ever again."

"We can all understand that," Hotch said. "Being away from home for the short stints that we pull is long enough. And that's usually only three or four days at a time."

"Agreed," JJ said, thinking of the time this job takes away that she could be spending with Henry. "But it's worth it to keep our families safe."

"I'll drink to that," Morgan raised his iced tea glass and toasted James Blake's homecoming.

"Here, here," Rossi held his glass up as well, and they all clinked glasses.

Shortly thereafter, Hotch's cell phone buzzed. It was a message from Strauss. He sighed deeply.

"Sorry gang, but I have to go. I have a meeting with Strauss in a few minutes."

"I'll drive," Dave said, finishing up his lunch. "I need to get back to work anyway."

"You guys good getting back?" he looked at the others.

"Sure! My baby boy and my chocolate thunder can ride in Esther." James Blake laughed out loud at the descriptions of Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid." They seemed to have a true familial relationship. Hotch simply hung his head and shook with more laughter before shaking James' hand again.

"I'm glad to have met you," Hotch said. "Maybe next time we can stay longer."

"I look forward to it," James smiled. He shook hands with Rossi as well, and the two agents left the diner.

He was left with Alex, JJ, Garcia, and Spencer. He was suddenly a little nervous. He was outnumbered. Sure, he had Reid, but in the brief meeting, he was certain that Penelope Garcia could eat him for lunch. And Jennifer Jareau definitely was no pushover. He had a feeling there was a game of "20 Questions" in his near future. Alex saw the look on his face and chuckled to herself before leaning into him

"Looks like they haven't only adopted me into this wacky little family. They've adopted you, too."

And as he draped one arm around her shoulders, they both smiled.

* * *

_05/17/2013_

My apologies for the shortness of this chapter. I literally dozed off in front of my laptop! I hope at least some of it is what you were hoping for. Thanks again everyone!


	138. Day 138: Weekend Warriors

**A/N: Thanks again gang for the incredible response to this story. For those of you who have made some suggestions, thank you kindly! I will keep them stored away in the back of my mind for later use. :P**

**This is a follow up to "Day 136: Digging Deep".**

* * *

**365: Day 138**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Weekend Warriors**

David Rossi opted to spend the rainy Saturday afternoon at the office finishing up the last of his paperwork from the week. At least, that's what he would tell anyone who saw him in the office that day. He did do a bit of paperwork to make his cover story look more believable. But he was really only after one set of files. He was only looking for one killer.

The Replicator.

He went to get the files, but they were not where they should have been. Neither were the original files of the cases the Replicator had stolen. He wondered where they could have gone. Then he remembered the familiar car he spotted in the lot and knew where those files were. And he set out for Derek Morgan's office.

Derek Morgan was stretched out on his office couch, file in hand, rereading for what felt like the 700th time. Two other files sat on the floor near his head. More were scattered across his desk. He was deep in thought, but happened to catch a glimpse of Rossi. He waved him in.

"What are you doing here, Rossi?"

"Same as you, apparently. Not getting much sleep and running myself into the ground.

"Yeah, I hear ya," Derek rubbed his tired eyes. Rossi picked up a file and pointed it at him.

"One person isn't going to solve this case, Derek. We do this together. Just like we always do. As a team."

"I know," he replied. "I'm just so frustrated right now."

"I know, Derek. That's why I'm here. Now," he pointed at the stack of files next to the couch, "give me one."

"Gladly," Morgan handed over a file. "They're all starting to run together for me."

"That's what I'm here for," David replied, flipping through the first case file. "Because assholes like this guy don't deserve the second chance. They only use it to further their agendas. And we're not going to let that happen here. We're going to find this son-of-a-bitch."

Morgan raised his coffee mug. "I'll drink to that."

They clinked glasses and the two agents got to work hunting down their madman.

No other team was taking this case.

This one was theirs. And it was personal.

* * *

_05/18/2013_


	139. Day 139: The Comforts of Home

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone! Reviewer Anne Stewart 10297 gave me this idea a while back and I've been looking for a way to work it in. And now I have it! Therefore, this chapter is for you! Thanks for the wonderful suggestion!**

* * *

**365: Day 139**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Comforts of Home**

The team boarded the jet in the middle of the night for a cross country flight to southern California. Garcia was in her lair with her electronic babies ready to give them all the information she had once they were airborne. Once the jet was at its cruising altitude, Morgan pulled out the laptop and sat it on the table, connecting them with their resident tech goddess.

They were all exhausted and it showed visibly on their faces. Being called back in before you can even get into bed at night was enough to have them all looking like death warmed over. Even Hotch was in jeans and a t-shirt instead of his suit. Reid was struggling to keep his eyes open. JJ and Blake both opted for ponytails instead of attempting to fix their hair. Morgan and Rossi both kept rubbing their eyes and the scruff on their faces.

The gang went over the case quickly which, considering how little information they had, was really the only option. All of them decided that sleep was what they needed at this ridiculous hour. Before they could shut down the laptop, however, Garcia called for their attention.

"Would the lovely Agent Jareau do me a favor and go to the final overhead compartment on the left. I've stored something there for your flight this evening."

JJ did as she was asked and found six beautiful handmade blankets, and in the neighboring compartment she found six fluffy pillows.

"You are an angel, Baby Girl," Morgan said as JJ handed him a fuzzy black, brown, and blue blanket. Rossi was given the green and brown one, Hotch the blue and green one, Reid the purple and gold one, Blake the orange and yellow one, and JJ took the pink, blue and silver one.

"These are so cozy," Blake commented. "Thank you, Penelope."

The thanks was echoed by everyone on the jet as they all got comfy in their seats.

"Sleep well, my loves. Hopefully I'll have more information for you by the time you land."

And sleep well, they did, wrapped in the comforts of home.

* * *

_05/19/2013_


	140. Day 140: Appreciation

**A/N: Thanks once again everyone! This is a very brief continuation of last night's "Day 139: The Comforts of Home". Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 140**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Appreciation**

Garcia's phone rang the next night just as she was getting ready for bed. She grinned as JJ's special ringtone played. She answered without bothering with the caller ID.

"Good evening, my favorite media liaison turned awesome profiler. How are all my lovelies?"

"We're all good, PG. Just wanted to share something with you."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Everyone loved the blankets. So much that we all took them to the hotel with us. I kid you not, even Hotch said "I want my comfy blanket" when we were leaving the station tonight."

"You're kidding me!" Garcia squeed and giggled. "I wish I could have heard that. That's so priceless!"

"It was pretty hilarious. Rossi looked at him like he had three heads!"

"Please, pretty please, tell me there are pictures," Garcia begged.

"Not yet," JJ laughed, "but maybe on the flight back. I'll have to be sneaky, but I'll try my best."

"Aw! You're the best, Jayje."

"No, you're the best. I hope you didn't want these blankets back. I think we've all become attached to them already."

"Nope," she smiled big, though JJ couldn't see it. "They are all yours. So you'll have a little piece of home with you no matter where you are."

It was JJ's turn to smile. "I don't know what we'd do without you always watching out for us, Garcia."

"It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it."

They shared a good laugh at her comment. JJ was certain that, not only was Garcia Henry's fairy Godmother, she was the entire team's as well.

"Thanks again, Garcia. Get some sleep. We'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Goodnight my sweet. Sleep well."

JJ curled her blanket around her. "Oh believe me, I will. Goodnight."

And though separated by over a thousand miles, the two best friends went to sleep with smiles on their faces.

* * *

_05/20/2013_


	141. Day 141: No Rest

**A/N: Thanks again everyone. Glad you enjoyed the fluffiness of the previous two chapters. I have a feeling there won't be much fluffiness in the near future. I'm more than a little terrified about tomorrow night. **

**Thanks to Rockhotch31 (my rockstar Jedi Knight!) for the idea for tonight's chapter. I'll admit, I was stumped on what to write! Thanks babe!**

* * *

**365: Day 141**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**No Rest**

Aaron Hotchner sent out two text messages and within five minutes both David Rossi and Derek Morgan were sitting in his office.

"Are either of you getting any rest?"

They looked at each other in confusion. "What are you talking about Hotch?"

"I know you were both here over the weekend, no doubt diving into the Replicator case. Top that off with getting called out on a case in the middle of the night Sunday, that doesn't leave much time for resting."

"Hotch," Morgan spoke up, "you can't tell me you aren't thinking about this case morning and night. This guy is still out there."

"I know he is. And yes, I think about it all the time. Every time we leave the office I wonder if I'm going to see everyone the next morning or if he'll strike in the night when we're all separated. But I can't let it consume me. I have Jack to think about."

"I get that, Hotch," Morgan's frustration was starting to show. "But we can't put this on the back burner like the Director wants. We're working other cases, but somebody has to keep looking into this. We can't just sit back and do nothing."

"We're not doing nothing. But we also can't go after this guy in full force if we're all worn out. You have to let yourself get some rest."

"I'll rest when this guy is behind bars," Rossi finally jumped into the conversation. "Nobody gets away with messing with this family. There is too much at stake here for us to sit back."

Aaron rubbed the back of his neck. The Replicator was starting to take his toll on them all. Rossi noticed Hotch looked uncomfortable.

"What is it, Aaron?"

He sighed. "I just have a very bad feeling about this case. This case is a powder keg. It's going to blow at any moment. This guy isn't going to wait much longer. He's going to make himself known and he's going to do it in a big way. And everybody on this team needs to be ready for it. Because once it starts, it won't stop until he gets what he wants or we catch him. And we can't do that if we're less than one hundred percent because we're all wearing ourselves out."

He sat quietly, letting his concerns sink in with his teammates. They nodded in understanding. They were caught between a rock and a hard place. They had to keep searching, but Hotch was right, they were risking a burnout. And now was definitely not the time for it.

"Nothing new is coming in today," Hotch broke the silence. "Take the afternoon off. Go home, get some rest. The paperwork on the last case can wait until tomorrow."

"Hotch..."

"It's an order, Derek. I need you at your best. We all do. Get this case out of your head for a while. Get some rest."

Reluctantly, Derek agreed, as did Dave. Although they all knew there would be no real rest. Not until the Replicator was dealt with.

Despite their differences, they all agreed on one thing.

They had a bad feeling about this one.

* * *

_05/21/2013_


	142. Day 142: The Medallion

**A/N: HOLY CRAP! DID Y'ALL SEE THAT?! Greatest season finale ever, in my opinion. It's rare that a TV show can make me cheer, squee, cry, scream, tie my stomach in knots so bad that I feel like throwing up, make my heart stop, then cry some more and do the dance of joy all in one episode. This one did it. Well done to the cast, crew, writers, and producers of Criminal Minds on one hell of a season finale!**

**And on that note, yes this is a post-ep to "The Replicator". (There will probably be a few.) And yes, there will be spoilers. You've been warned. And sorry I'm a bit late. I was too wound up to write! LOL!**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 142**

**Characters: David Rossi, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Medallion**

After a beautiful memorial service and an evening spent with friends celebrating a life, it was time to depart. This evening, through shared memories and reminiscing through laughter and tears, they all realized they had a much deeper respect for their Section Chief than any of them realized.

Except, of course, for David Rossi.

Though most of the team did not know it until her death, Dave and Erin had been together for the better part of a year. They had always driven each other crazy, annoyed each other, picked at each other, even downright pissed each other off for years. But when Erin put down the alcohol bottle, everything changed for them. She was still as tough as she'd always been, but her heart came out of hiding. She was kind. Compassionate. Understanding. She could still be hard, but the Ice Queen that so many thought she was, was melting away.

And David loved her. He stood by her. When she struggled with cravings. When she came so close to relapse that it scared her. When the job would become almost too much and the only thing she wanted was to dive into the bottom of a bottle, David Rossi stayed.

Now that they all knew the truth of their relationship, their hearts ached for their friend. Within two years he'd lost two special women. Caroline, the former love of his life, and now Erin, his equal in so many ways. They worried about him. He had been alone for too long. He had finally found someone to fill that void left by Carolyn's death, and now she had been ripped away from him. It wasn't fair.

But they also knew the man he was. And while he valued their company and their friendship, they knew he grieved privately. And they respected that. And so as the evening wound down, they all hugged him and offered their love and support, and left for home.

Aaron lingered. He couldn't find it in his heart to leave. Dave noticed.

"You don't have to stay, Aaron. I'm okay."

"I know you are," he nodded. "I just needed to see for myself."

"You're not very subtle," Dave smirked slightly, but it didn't reach his sad eyes.

"I don't want you to be alone tonight. When Haley died, you weren't going to leave me. You got called out, but you weren't going to leave on your own. I don't want to leave you now, Dave."

Dave nodded as his eyes welled. "I miss her already."

"I know."

"But I'm okay, Aaron. We got the bastard." He held up Erin's one-year sobriety medallion. "She got the last laugh in the end."

Aaron smiled. "Yes she did. Well played."

"I thought she would appreciate it."

"That she would."

He put his hand on Aaron's shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but I really am okay. You should get back to New York. There is a beautiful woman and a wonderful little boy waiting for you."

He had to admit, he was missing his son terribly right now. "Are you sure, Dave?"

"I'm sure," he nodded.

"Okay. Call me if you need anything. Anything, Dave."

"I will." He pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Aaron. For everything."

"We'll talk tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Finally, and a bit begrudgingly, Aaron left.

Dave sat back down at the table in his backyard. He pulled the medallion from his pocket and held it gently in his fingers. He stroked it gently with his thumb and looked up to the sky.

"You saved my life, Erin. I'll protect this for you. I promise." He kissed the medallion and put it back in his pocket. "Goodbye, my love."

* * *

_05/22/2013_


	143. Day 143: A Promise To Keep

**A/N: I can't tell you how excited I was to see Sean Hotchner again last night! Eight years ago, in that five minutes he was on screen, I fell in love with the character. Eric Johnson's chemistry with Thomas Gibson was instantaneous! I don't mind saying I squeed like a little fangirl when he appeared on screen last night! :D So yeah, we need a Sean Hotchner chapter. Here you go!**

**A post-ep for 8x23 "Brothers Hotchner". Will contain spoilers. You've been warned. Also a bit of a spinoff of "Day 142: The Medallion".**

* * *

**365: Day 143**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Sean Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**A Promise To Keep**

Aaron Hotchner left David Rossi's house and went straight to the airport. He got a late night flight into Laguardia Airport in Queens, NY. The place he most wanted to tell his cab driver to go from the terminal was to Beth's apartment in Manhattan. He was aching to see her and his son. But as badly as he wanted to be with them, he had another stop to make first.

Manhattan Detention Complex.

His younger brother had done the right thing in coming to him and turning himself in. With the amount of help he'd given the Bureau on the "doctor death" case, the chances of a judge going easy on him were high. After all, he'd had no knowledge that the case of wine he'd stolen contained bottles drugged with tainted Ecstacy. And as soon as he'd discovered it, he'd gone back to the old shopkeeper he'd sold them to in exchange for rent money and bought back the remaining bottles. He'd called Aaron as soon as he realized he was inadvertently mixed up in a drug-induced nightmare. He'd given the Bureau information, even worn a wire and put himself in danger to help them catch the men responsible for the deaths of several people.

But still, he'd have to spend the night in jail for his own illegal actions until Aaron could bail him out. And then The Replicator happened. And Erin Strauss' murder. And all Hell breaking loose around his pseudo-family. He'd gotten Sean a lawyer, and through him he was able to get a message to his little brother that night about what was happening. _'I have to get this taken care of, but I'm coming for you. I promise. Hang in there.'_ And Sean, having virtually nothing to use as collateral, couldn't bail himself out. He had to wait.

Sean Hotchner had two days to think about all of the self-destructive decisions he'd made in his adult life. He'd had such a good opportunity with the restaurant, but his drug use put an end to that. Then he'd had a solid catering gig. While it wasn't as good as the restaurant, it was still decent money and he was still able to hone his craft. And again, he'd let the drugs win. And then he'd met Thane, who'd gotten him a bartending job at The Edinburgh - quite possibly the biggest mistake of his life. And now he was sitting in a cell. All the after-effects of an addiction to a little white pill.

He'd thought a lot about his fractured relationship with his brother. They had never been close. But then again, they were never given the opportunity. Sean barely remembered his early childhood, and what he did remember didn't include Aaron. He had already been sent away to boarding school. After their father died, Aaron was around a lot more, but his role was more father-figure rather than big brother. He was so straight-laced, Sean felt he almost HAD to be rebellious just to get Aaron to loosen up. But then Aaron had gone off to college, started a career, gotten married, joined the Bureau, and Sean was alone. He didn't have his brother's guiding force. Didn't have his ambition or his drive. As a teen and young adult, that lack of guidance had gotten him into trouble more than once. And now, as an adult, he still couldn't seem to make the right decisions.

Aaron was right. They needed to do better. They couldn't go on like this. They were brothers. It was time they started acting like it.

No sooner than he'd had that thought, he heard the jingle of keys and a guard walking toward the cell.

"Your brother has posted your bail," the stocky, red-bearded guard said, unlocking the door. "Come with me."

Sean did as he was told, following the guard to the front desk where he could sign his release papers and collect his personal belongings. Aaron was waiting for him off to the side, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was still dressed in his suit from Erin Strauss' funeral. He took the small bag containing his wallet, keys, watch, and ear ring from the officer at the desk and walked to his brother. Suddenly, he was nervous.

"Are you alright?" Aaron asked as Sean approached.

"Yeah," he nodded. "What about you? Did you catch him?"

Aaron nodded and sighed. "Strauss' funeral was this morning."

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too."

The brothers left the complex and got into the cab that was still waiting. Sean gave the driver the address to his apartment. They were both quiet during the drive. The tension in the air was thick. Even the driver could feel it as he pressed a little harder on the gas to quickly get to their destination. He pulled into the lot of the apartment complex and Aaron paid the driver and gave him a tip for his patience. Sean looked at him questioningly as the cab drove away.

"You don't want him to stay?"

"I thought I'd stay here tonight. We have a lot to talk about. I'll go back to Beth's in the morning."

"We do have a lot to talk about," Sean said as they walked up the stairs to his third floor apartment. He opened the door and invited his brother in. "Sorry about the mess. You can tell I wasn't expecting company."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine."

Hotch turned to face his little brother, who was standing with his hands in his pockets and rocking nervously. "Are you okay?"

Sean shook his head. "I'm scared, Aaron. I don't know what's going to happen to me."

"You'll have a court date in about a month. Considering all the help you gave the Bureau on this case, the fact that you opened the case to begin with, you'll probably get off with a fine and community service. Maybe a 30 day jail term, but I doubt it. They'll probably call it 'time served'. They'll also take into account that you've never been arrested before. You have no criminal record. It's going to be okay, Sean."

Sean nodded, but still looked very uncomfortable. Hotch picked up on it immediately. "Are you craving?"

"Yeah, a little. It gets worse when I'm stressed."

"What can I do?"

"Not much, really. It will pass eventually. You want some coffee?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

As they waited for coffee to brew, they sat at the small kitchen table. It was Aaron who broke their silence. There was one thing Aaron wanted to make sure Sean understood.

"You're not alone in this, Sean. I'm not going to turn my back on you. We both said we needed to do better by each other. This seems like a good place to start."

Neither of them slept that night. Instead, they spent the evening talking, getting reacquainted with each other. It was a small step, but one in the right direction, nonetheless. It would take them both working hard to keep that promise. They owed it to each other to try.

* * *

_05/23/2013_


	144. Day 144: The Best We Can

**A/N: I wanted to take a second to thank you all again for your support during this journey. Some of you have taken the time to write some very thorough reviews (which I LOVE!) and I apologize I haven't been able to reply back yet. But I will! Promise! I love that you are all "involved" in this collection. I love your theories, your suggestions, and your general awesomeness for sticking with me. It is greatly appreciated!**

**So yeah... another post-ep for 8x23 and 8x24 (Spoilers!), and a continuation of "Day 143: A Promise To Keep". **

* * *

**365: Day 144**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Best We Can**

After being up all night staying with his brother, Aaron called a cab at 5:00am and headed back to Beth's apartment. He wanted to get back before Jack woke up. He left Sean with the promise that he would be here for his court date, work permitting of course, and they promised each other to try harder to build their relationship.

He arrived back at the apartment around 5:30. As he expected, Beth and Jack were still asleep. He knew he should get a little rest, but he couldn't turn off his worry. So he opted for coffee instead. While it brewed, he changed out of the suit he still wore and into comfortable jeans and a dark blue polo shirt. He poured himself a mug, and sat at the kitchen table. He rubbed a hand over his tired face and rubbed the tense muscles in his neck. He was exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. He'd been through the ringer over the last few days. And he was supposed to be on vacation.

He'd wanted this week to be so special for Jack and for his and Beth's relationship. And yet again, he felt like he'd disappointed the most important people in his life. He dropped his head onto his forearm propped on the table and buried his other hand in his hair. He was so lost in thought he didn't hear Beth come in.

She stood in the doorway watching him for a moment. She'd never seen him look so lost before. She had to admit, it was a bit unnerving. But she understood. His brother was mixed up in a scary drug scene, his team had been targeted, his Section Chief and friend had been killed, he and his team were all mourning the loss. He'd been through a hell of a lot in the last three days. She was getting a first-hand look at what life was really for the agents of the BAU. It was, quite frankly, scary.

This was the part of the job he'd always warned her about. This was the part that made him nervous about their relationship in the beginning. She'd witnessed some of these occupational horrors last year when JJ's family had been in danger. But this year it hit closer to home. And this year, the team had lost a member. And it was hitting him hard.

She walked into the kitchen and put her hand gently on his shoulder. He picked up his head slowly and looked over his shoulder at her. He reached up and put his hand over hers on his shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged slightly. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"You know I can't resist the smell of coffee in the morning," she smiled, trying to lighten his mood a little. The corner of his lip twitched. It was the closest thing to a smile he could muster right now. She poured herself a cup, freshened his cup as well, and sat next to him, placing her hand over his once again.

"How's Dave?"

He sighed. "He's taking it hard, but he's dealing. He wouldn't let me stay with him. The team knows about them now, of course."

"They didn't know?"

He shook his head. "They were all suspicious but only Morgan and I knew for sure." He finally brought his sad eyes up to meet hers. "She died in my arms. Dave and Morgan were running to us. He was seconds too late. That's the hardest part. He didn't get there in time. None of us did, really. If we had, she wouldn't have died. We were all too late."

She squeezed his hand tighter. "I'm so sorry, Aaron."

"I'm sorry," he emphasized. "I wanted this week to be special. I'm sorry my job keeps getting in the way."

"Please don't apologize," she smiled at him. "I knew what I was getting into when we started this relationship. I knew this was a possibility. I knew the risks, that you'd been targeted before and could be again, that I could be in danger. I knew all of this going in. And I'm still here. And I'm not going anywhere."

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "I don't know how I got lucky enough to have you in my life, but I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too," she smiled, leaned forward in her chair and kissed him. "I love you, Aaron. I mean it. I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you, too. And I'm glad."

She finished her coffee and put her mug in the sink. "So what about Sean? How much trouble is he in?"

He sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't really know. Hopefully the judge will consider his compliance with the investigation and his decision to turn himself in, and go easy on him. Otherwise things could get very bad in a hurry."

"How bad are we talking?"

His eyes stayed focused on the table. "Negligent Homicide."

"Are you serious?" her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"It's a real possibility. Two of the bottles he stole and sold are what killed three people. Taking into consideration that he didn't know anything about the drugs and he bought the bottles back when he found out to avoid anyone else dying, I don't think a judge would go there, but it's still a real concern. With everything Sean gave us for this case, I expect a judge to be lenient. But until I hear for sure, the worst case scenario is going to stay in my head. It's a scary feeling."

"God, I can't even imagine."

"Good. Because it sucks."

She went back to holding his hand. "So what about the two of you?"

"We're working on it. We both agree that we've got to start acting like brothers. Aside from Jack, we're the only blood family we have left. We have to try. Do the best we can, anyway."

"I'm glad to hear that. Jack was asking about him last night."

"I'm not surprised. He only knows Sean through a few pictures. He doesn't remember him. I want him to know Sean, and I want Sean to know Jack. But Sean has to clean up his act first. He has to stay clean. Hopefully once this mess is over they can spend a little time together."

"I think that would be good for both of them."

Aaron nodded in agreement and yawned. The lack of sleep was catching up with him. Beth noticed.

"You know, Jack and I stayed up pretty late last night so he'll probably sleep in for a while. Why don't you try to get a little sleep."

"Yeah, I should." He stood and held out his hand. "Come with me?"

She slipped her hand in his. "Gladly."

* * *

_05/24/2013_


	145. Day 145: No Apologies

**A/N: Hi again, peeps. Thanks again for all the reviews. I'm still in season finale post-ep mode. I have a few more ideas, and a reviewer guessed one of them and doesn't realize it! Sooo... JessieWithAQ-MadamePresident, this chapter is for you! :)**

* * *

**365: Day 145**

**Characters: David Rossi, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**No Apologies**

Derek Morgan was sitting on his couch with a cold beer watching his beloved Chicago Blackhawks try to pull out a win and extend their playoff series against a dangerous Detroit Red Wings team who only needed one win to put an end to Chicago's season. Clooney the dog was snoozing in his doggie bed beside the couch. Buffalo Wings were in the oven. Chips and cheese dip were on the table. The Blackhawks were winning. Derek Morgan was a happy man.

David Rossi, on the other hand, was not. He was struggling. Today his struggles were not about Erin's death, however. He was still trying to piece together a few missing moments from the night they ended The Replicator case. He remembered returning to his office after meeting with the medical examiner who preformed Erin Strauss' autopsy. He remembered sitting at his desk. And he remembers going to Garcia's office to find out where the team was. Apparently he'd been in the infirmary, but he couldn't remember how he got there, or why. Something must have happened in his office. It was driving him crazy. So he drove to Derek Morgan's apartment in search of answers.

The unexpected knock on his door drug his attention away from the game. He was quite surprised to see David Rossi on his doorstep.

"Dave? What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"Sorry to bother you on your off day. I'm just trying to figure a few things out and could use your help. Can I come in?"

"Of course," he opened the door wide and Rossi entered.

"Something smells good. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Nah. Just watching the game. It's at intermission. That's the buffalo wings you smell. They're almost ready. So what's up?"

"There's a gap in my memory from a few days ago, when we were closing in on The Replicator. I need your help to fill that gap."

Derek sighed and rubbed his bald head. He had a feeling this would happen. After all, one of the effects of Ecstasy is amnesia. That's what makes it such a popular date rape drug. Those affected usually can't remember anything, and therefore can't identify their attackers. He was hoping Dave would let this go, but he knew that was a long shot. He took a deep breath.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember going back to my office after the autopsy and sitting at my desk. And then I remember going to Garcia to find out where you all were. There's a significant gap in the middle."

"John Curtis got into your office and left a letter for you. Apparently the letter was dusted with the same drug combination he used on Strauss. According to Reid, absorption through the skin goes much slower than ingestion, and the dosage was lower, so medics were able to help you."

"I know there's more to it, Derek. Please tell me."

Derek sighed again and sat down. That told Dave whatever happened was serious. He sat across from Derek and waited patiently.

"Dave, please remember you were drugged."

"Just tell me, Derek. I don't like being kept in the dark."

"Okay. The letter he left was a breakdown of what was found in Strauss' hotel room. The Replicator used a broken glass to cut what looked like a figure eight into her wrist. My DNA was on the glass they found."

Dave looked perplexed. "How is that possible?"

"The Replicator was at an event I attended a few months ago at the British Embassy. Best guess is he was posing as a waiter or bartender and kept one of the glasses I used to set me up. He knew you and Strauss were close and you would take whatever was in that report to heart. He set us up to turn against each other."

Dave rubbed a hand over his face. "What did I do?" he asked meekly.

"You pulled a gun on me in your office. Accused me of killing Strauss."

"Oh, God," he buried his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Derek."

"Don't do that. You were drugged, Rossi. It wasn't you."

"I could have killed you, Derek."

"But you didn't. Hotch was right there. He noticed your nose started bleeding and knew you'd been drugged. He diffused the situation and we were able to get help. It's okay, Rossi. No harm, no foul. We were lucky you weren't killed."

Dave sighed. "This has been one seriously screwed up week."

"You're telling me."

The timer on the stove went off and Derek got up to pull the buffalo wings out of the oven. He pulled two beers from the fridge and handed one to Rossi. "Why don't you stick around for a while. I can't eat all these by myself."

Rossi thought for a moment before nodding. He and Derek brought their beers and the wings into his living room.

"So what's the score?"

"2-1, Blackhawks," Derek answered, just in time to hear the iconic voice of Doc Emrick yell '_SCOOOOOOOOORE!_' Derek pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah, baby! Make that 3-1!"

Dave laughed at Derek's enthusiasm and sat in the recliner beside the couch. Together they finished off the wings and the beer and watched the Blackhawks secure the victory, 4-1, forcing a game six in their series. Dave helped clean up before heading out.

"Derek," he paused at the door, "I really am sorry about the other day."

Derek nodded. "I'm just glad you were okay. You scared us."

"Yeah. It's probably a good thing I don't remember it."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about Erin."

Dave sighed. "Me, too. Thanks, Derek."

"You gonna be alright?"

He nodded. "I will be." And he headed home.

* * *

_05/25/2013_


	146. Day 146: She Loves Us

**A/N: This one is for Rockie. :)**

* * *

**365: Day 146**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**She Loves Us**

Aaron and Jack arrived back in Virginia from New York in the early afternoon. Jack had so many mementos from his visit that they had to buy him a new backpack to get them all home. Despite the insanity of the first few days of their trip, it had turned out to be a good time. The first three days they were there, Beth took Jack to the zoo, the museum, and the Statue of Liberty. They'd gone back to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island after Aaron came back. It was a lot of good quality time for all three of them.

The Hotchner boys were back in their apartment getting settled. Jack was putting away all his new toys and souvenirs while Aaron was cleaning up.

"Daddy," Jack stood in the doorway of Aaron's bedroom as Aaron was sorting their laundry, colors in one pile, whites in another.

"Yeah, bud?"

"Do you love Beth?"

He hadn't expected that question. Thankfully he didn't have to think too hard to give his son an answer.

"Yes, I do. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah. She's really nice. She knows so much about all that museum stuff. She's really fun. And she makes you smile."

He smiled at that, proving his son right. "She makes me smile a lot."

Jack smiled back at him. "I'm glad. I like it when you smile."

"You seemed to enjoy this weekend. I'm glad you had so much fun. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you for all of it. I really wanted to."

"I know, Daddy. It's okay. I know when people need your help you have to go."

"Thanks for understanding, buddy." _Though I wish you didn't have to_, he thought to himself.

"Beth understood, too. We talked about it."

"Oh really?" Aaron's eyebrows shot up. "What did she say?"

"She said she was proud of you because you help people. She's really special, Dad."

"She's very special. I'm glad you two got to spend some time together. She really likes you too, you know," Aaron winked at him, causing him to laugh and show off his shy smile. Then he turned serious for a minute.

"Do you think Mommy would mind that I like Beth?"

Aaron stopped sorting the laundry and knelt on one knee in front of his son. "I think Mommy would be very happy that there is someone else out there that cares about you so much. Someone that makes you laugh and smile, introduces you to new things. I think anything that makes you happy would make her happy. Because that's the biggest thing she wanted for you - for you to be happy. She wanted both of us to be happy. So yes, I think Mommy would be perfectly fine to know that you and I both like Beth a lot."

That brought a smile to young Jack Hotchner's face. "Good. Because Beth loves you, too," he said as he went back to his new toys.

Aaron chuckled watching Jack skip back across the hall. "How do you know that?" he called out.

Jack stuck his head out his bedroom door. "She told me!"

Aaron laughed. The weekend had turned out pretty good after all.

* * *

_05/26/2013_


	147. Day 147: Memorial Day

**A/N: Today (Monday, May 27) is Memorial Day here in the United States. It's a day where we remember and honor our servicemen and women who lost their lives in defense of our country. This is for them...**

**References to 807 - "The Fallen"**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 147**

**Characters: David Rossi, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Memorial Day**

David Rossi stood alone in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. It was the first time he'd been here since Sergeant Harrison Scott told him what really happened that fateful day in Vietnam in 1969. For the first time ever, he stood in front of the white marble headstone of the man who saved his life.

**ANTHONY **

**HERNANDEZ**

**PFC**

**US MARINE CORPS**

**VIETNAM **

**1946 - 1969**

**BRONZE STAR**

During a time of military unrest and the drafting of young men into military service, Hispanic-American Anthony Hernandez joined the Marine Corps voluntarily. The son of immigrants, he wanted to serve the country that had given his family a better future. He wanted to show his appreciation for a country that provided them so much opportunity. He loved his country. He loved the Corps. And he loved the brothers he fought beside.

Forty-three years ago, the young man died in the line of duty, on the field of battle protecting a young Private and his Sergeant. And until six months ago, David Rossi had no idea that the young man had died so that he could live.

He was 23 years old and had a baby on the way.

Sergeant Harrison Scott told him in November about Private First Class Hernandez' sacrifice. How he'd thrown himself over and IED - Improvised Explosive Device - preventing even more of the shrapnel from reaching Rossi and Scott. The blast had killed him instantly, and had saved them both.

After hearing this, Rossi ensured that Hernandez was recognized for the hero he was. His grandson, now a US Marine himself, was the recipient of his grandfather's Bronze Star for his heroic service in combat during the Vietnam War. Sergeant Scott was by his side at the ceremony.

And while Rossi had dedicated his latest book to the young man's memory, he hadn't felt he'd done the man justice because he hadn't been here. He'd purposely waited until today. The day designated to honor all of the fallen brothers and sisters of war. As he knelt before the man's headstone, he did not speak. No words would ever be enough. Instead he stayed in quiet reflection, replaying the biggest moments of his life, hoping he had become a man worthy of such a sacrifice. He hoped PFC Hernandez would think he lived his life with honor and dignity. He hoped he hadn't let the young man down.

He stood, took two steps back from the headstone, came to attention, and saluted his fallen friend. His hero. He dropped his hand back to his side and bowed his head before someone calling out to him immediately caught his attention.

"Sergeant Major Rossi."

He turned, and the unexpected sight caused tears to spring to his eyes. Standing yards away was his extended family. He stood motionless, momentarily stunned that they would be here.

Aaron nudged Jack, who looked at Henry. "1-2-3-go," Jack whispered, and the two boys brought their hands to their foreheads in salute to the former Marine.

"Go get him," JJ whispered, and the two boys sprinted off. Dave dropped to one knee and both boys ran into his arms. He couldn't hold his tears back anymore. They flowed freely down his face as he hugged them both tightly.

"We love you, Uncle Dave," Jack said.

"Yeah, Uncle Dave," Henry agreed.

"I love you, too," Dave managed to choke out.

With the arms of both boys around his neck, he stood, picking them both up, and made his way to his team. They were all there, including Will, Kevin, and James Blake. As Dave reached them he sat the boys back on their feet. Aaron stepped forward and put his hand on Dave's shoulder before pulling him into a hug. He'd told Aaron the story of PFC Hernandez after their case in Santa Monica. Aaron knew how much this day meant to him. How important it was that he be here. Dave clung to him and let himself cry. And before he knew it, he was completely ensconced in the arms of his family. All of them.

"Semper Fi, Marine," Morgan whispered to him.

To them, he was worthy of the sacrifice.

* * *

_05/27/2013_

_*"Semper Fi" - Short for Semper Fidelis - is Latin for "Always Faithful" or "Always Loyal" and is the motto of the United States Marine Corps._


	148. Day 148: She Won

**A/N: Thanks once again, everyone, for all the kind comments on the previous chapter. They are greatly appreciated, as always. I can't believe we're closing in on 150 days! I need to throw a fanfic party that day. You're all invited, of course! :P**

**This should be the last of the post-eps for the season 8 finale and then I can move on. That ep left me so many great ideas!**

* * *

**365: Day 148**

**Characters: David Rossi, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**She Won**

DAvid Rossi sat in front of his laptop at his desk in his home study. The team was still on stand down since the chaos of The Replicator case, and would be until Monday. He was trying to work on his latest novel but he couldn't stay focused. His mind kept thinking back to New York and Erin Strauss. He was still upset that he hadn't made it to her in time. But he was grateful that Aaron had. She hadn't died alone. She died in the arms of a friend. He was only mere seconds too late.

He tried taking a break and sitting on his patio to clear his head. Smoked a cigar. Had a glass of scotch way too early in the day. And he would feel good for a while. But when he sat back in front of his computer, Erin came back to his mind and he was distracted all over again. He was so distracted that he almost missed the door bell ringing. When it rang a second time he knew he wasn't hearing things. He got up from his chair to answer the door. He was more than a little surprised to see Alex Blake standing there.

"Hi," she said. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I probably should have called first," she rambled. Not something she was prone to doing.

"Alex," Dave interrupted. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... no... I don't know. May I come in?"

"Of course," he stepped aside and let her in. "Want a drink?"

"No, thank you."

She sat on his couch while he made himself another scotch. She fidgeted nervously as she waited for him to return, which he did moments later. He took a sip and watched her fidget. She wouldn't hold eye contact, which again, was unusual.

"Alex, what's going on? What's wrong?"

She sighed. "I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for what happened to Strauss."

"How on Earth do you figure that?"

"John Curtis and I were part of the same team during the Amerithrax case. We both took the fall when things went south. We both harbored some strong feelings about Strauss and the Bureau as a whole because of the aftermath. I just... I can't help but feel like I should have caught on to the fact that John was behind all this. I should have seen something."

"Alex, that case was twelve years ago. How long had it been since you'd seen him, or even thought about him?"

"I hadn't seen him since the end of that case. Not until I woke up in chains in his basement."

"There is no way you could have seen this coming. Especially not after twelve years. There was absolutely nothing that would have pointed us to an agent. Not until it was too late."

"I still can't believe he would do this. He was just a nice, quiet, kind of shy guy. He was an expert in biochemistry. He was never violent. This is still very jarring. Someone I knew and once trusted with my life really did all this."

"You and John Curtis took two very different paths to rebuild your reputations," Dave said. "You may have held some animosity for Erin afterward, but you also fought like hell to prove yourself again. You took the high road. John Curtis took the low road. He wanted to be remembered, and he was angry. His name is not one we will forget, which is exactly what he wanted, but he'll never have the thing he wanted the most. The respect. You got that back. He never will."

She nodded and sighed again. "I'm so sorry about Erin, Dave. I didn't know the two of you were together."

He nodded and smiled slightly. "Not many people did. That was something we kept just for ourselves."

"Sooo... When I came to you a few months back and compared the 'nice Strauss' to Invasion of the Body Snatchers..."

"Oh, she got quite a good laugh out of that one," he chuckled. His eyes lit up at that memory as Alex groaned and buried her face in her hands. Erin had laughed until she cried when he'd told her that story. "That's one I'll always remember."

"I'm glad we finally got the opportunity to mend our fences. There were a lot of hard feelings from back then, but getting back here and working with her again changed that. She was incredibly good at her job. It took me a while to come to terms with working under her, but it was worth being a little uncomfortable for a while to get past all the animosity. A lot of people only got to see the bureaucrat. But she was a damn fine agent. And a better friend. I'm glad I got to see that."

"She was glad too, Alex. Those first few meetings between you after you came to the BAU were tense for both of you. I told her the same thing I told you. These things take time. You gave each other the time you needed and were willing to look beyond your past grudges to see that the relationship was repairable. You gave each other the tools you needed to repair it. I'm glad that both of you got that opportunity. She valued that."

"So did I," a single tear escaped her eye. "I'm so sorry, David. She didn't deserve this."

"No, she didn't. But she fought right to the end. She set the trap and gave us the clues we needed to find him." He pulled her sobriety coin from his pocket and rubbed it gently. "She saved us in the end. She won."

Alex smiled. "Yes, she did."

* * *

_05/28/2013_


	149. Day 149: The Job

**A/N: I hope this chapter is coherent and not full of mistakes. I am really struggling to stay awake right now. Freakin' insomnia! Hopefully this one makes sense and doesn't suck. :/ My apologies for the shortness. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**365: Day 149**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Job**

Though his team was officially on stand down, Hotch found himself in a large conference room near the Director's office at FBI Headquarters. All of the Unit Chiefs had been called in to discuss the Section Chief position. No one was in a hurry to fill the void left by Erin Strauss' death. The wounds were still too raw to consider that just yet. But they had to develop a system to get all the work done. Aaron had filled in for Strauss before, but only for a few months. It wasn't something he could do continuously. The workload was simply too much for one person to do and still keep up with his own work and be in the field. The position had to be filled eventually, but until then, they still had a job to do.

Being involved in these meetings helped to make one thing very clear to him.

He absolutely did NOT want the position.

There was too much bureaucracy. Too many political cat-and-mouse games. Too much ass-kissing. Too much bullshit.

He didn't have time for that. He'd had those ambitions at one time, but he'd learned where his true passion lay.

He was a field agent. First and foremost. That was where he belonged, where he could do the most good for his team and, most importantly, for the victims who deserved justice.

He didn't belong in a board room in meetings all day. He didn't belong in an office pouring over financial reports and making decisions on which necessities get cut from which teams.

That was a job for someone else.

His place was with his team.

* * *

_05/29/2013_


	150. Day 150: Friends and Family

**A/N: Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Monkeywand, Wotumba1, Sdia75, BBHotblooded, Gemini-Victoria, Mummacass, AlexandriaZ, Sand n' Sable, Shelly Hoffer 7, Akasha Rose, DebbieOz, P95000, Prettymind2, Doc blu xx, Random Reader 17, Annber03, MidwestDreamer, Lexjl, Namira 0.0, Pechika, Aqua Mage, TheMysteriousGeek2345, JessieWithAQ-MadamePresident, DJSteele, CeeCee333, Dance Elle Dance, Rutland, Jerseybelle, Tannerose5, Ramona Young, Jenntedisco, CMCity, Buka2000, Davidrossi, and MaryEllen1960... (Wow, this list got LONG! LOL!)**

**THANK YOU ALL SO VERY VERY MUCH! Thanks to all of your encouragement and support, we've reached DAY 150! And as of last night's chapter, we've hit over 2300 reviews! You guys couldn't make me smile any bigger or brighter if you tried! I love you guys!**

**And I have to dedicate this chapter to a special friend, even though I know he's super busy with his new internship and will probably not see this... my "board brother" Falcon-121. Without his encouragement and friendship which began over four years ago, none of this would exist. He's the one who gave me the courage to let people read my work. He read my first CM story before anyone else. He introduced me to the wonderful world of fanfiction. I can't thank you enough for giving me that push in the right direction. I heart you, good sir!**

* * *

**365: Day 150**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Friends and Family**

The coffee shop on the corner of a local strip mall was the place to be most mornings. Fresh brewed caffeine in a cup, fresh pastries and fruits, and a pleasant atmosphere that drew coffee lovers of all ages and professions to the cozy little shop.

A group of college kids were at one table, large coffees in full force, gathered around a laptop and a Biochemistry book clearly preparing for finals.

A young couple still a bit shy around each other were at a corner table enjoying bagels and tea, and laughing nervously at each others stories.

A man in a suit sat alone reading the morning paper and having his coffee, preparing to start another busy work day.

And a colorful ball of joy was at the counter.

"Getting your usual, Penelope?" asked the blonde-haired barista - Angela - behind the counter.

"And then some, sweet cakes!" Garcia answered in bubbly fashion.

"Bringing in the gang today?"

"You got it."

"So, let's see if I remember," Angela said. "Tea for the boss. Regular coffees for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome, the sexy Italian, and the newbie. Caramel Macchiato with a shot of Espresso for the badass blonde. And one cup of coffee-flavored sugar for the cute one."

"Brilliant!" Garcia beamed. "Angela, my dear, you are awesomely amazing! I can't believe you remember all that."

"Well, your group is a memorable bunch," she laughed.

"Thanks so much. They'll all be here shortly."

"I'll bring them out to you. Go ahead and sit."

"Thanks, sweetie."

Garcia went to the table in the corner where one of the other employees helped her drag two tables together. Hotch was the first to arrive, followed closely by JJ. Morgan and Reid arrived together. Blake followed them in. And a few minutes later, Rossi appeared as Angela was delivering their various mugs of morning goodness.

"Just in time," he smiled.

"Fashionably late, as always," JJ chided him.

He held a hand to his chest in mock distress. "You wound me."

Angela chuckled, sitting his coffee in front of him. "Bagels and danishes all around?"

"You know us well," Morgan grinned his megawatt smile. She winked back at him.

"Of course I do. You're my favorite Feds!"

"Well, at least somebody likes us," Rossi joked.

"A normal fan!" Reid smiled big as JJ cheered, "Woo-hoo!."

Even the boss laughed, which was always a welcome sight.

"Coming right up, guys."

"Thank you, Angela."

"You're welcome, Bossman."

As Angela went to put in their order, she shook her head at their banter. This bunch came here once a month, sometimes twice a month when they were in town. Always on a Thursday morning before the workday. Some members had come and gone, new members had joined. They'd been through injuries, tragedies, losses.

But like clockwork, her bunch always came back.

Her favorite Feds.

The closest of friends.

Family.

* * *

_05/30/2013_


	151. Day 151: Many Thanks

**A/N: As always, thanks for all the kind words. I'm so glad you all are still enjoying this!**

**Shoutout! Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Wotumba1, AlexandriaZ, Sand 'n Sable, Shelly Hoffer 7, Doc blu xx, Annber03, CeeCee333, Pechika, Live Write Love, Mummacass, MidwestDreamer, P95000, Akasha Rose, Rutland, Gemini-Victoria, Jerseybelle, ForeverHedleyTrencher, and BBHotblooded. THANKS, PEEPS!**

**A bit of a follow-up to "Day 150: Family and Friends".**

* * *

**365: Day 151**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Angela the Barista**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Many Thanks**

Once again, as is the case most mornings, the little coffee shop on the corner was abuzz with activity. Some regulars, some newbies, all greeted by everyone's favorite Barista, Angela. She was simply a joyful young lady, working at the coffee shop while putting herself through school - two more years to go. Always waiting with a smile and a friendly demeanor, she made sure that the early morning customers started their day off right.

And much like the morning before, a colorful ball of joy came back through the door.

"Two days in a row? To what do I owe the pleasure, Penelope?"

"We're on stand down and you know I can't go too long without my cup of royal deliciousness."

"Don't I know it!" Angela laughed before calling out Penelope's usual order. "I need a half caf extra shot vente two pump non-fat hold the whip caramel macchiato.*"

"I love it when you do that," Garcia sighed happily.

"What can I say... it's a talent, really."

"An excellent one!"

The two ladies shared another laugh as Penelope moved to the side so Angela could take another order. Her coffee was brought out just as the other customer moved from the line to a table. Penelope went back to the counter.

"Hey Angela, if you get a spare minute or two, would you come sit with me?"

"Sure." The young barista could see that her bubbly friend wanted to talk about something, so she got one of the waiters to cover for her and went to the table. She sat down with her own coffee and a blueberry muffin, bringing one for Garcia as well.

"Is everything okay, Penelope?"

"Oh, yeah, everything is okay. Well... getting okay. I wanted to thank you for yesterday."

Angela looked confused. "For what? I didn't do anything special."

"Yes you did. You made my team smile for a little while. We needed that more than you could possibly know."

"You said you were on stand down, and I noticed that your boss wasn't in a suit yesterday. And the older guy seemed a little down. Did something happen?" She looked genuinely concerned for this quirky, eclectic group she'd come to enjoy and admire.

"Yes," Penelope nodded, taking a deep breath. "We lost a friend last week. Our Section Chief. She was killed on our last case."

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry," she reached across the table and placed her hand over Penelope's.

"It's hit us all a lot harder than we realized. She and David, the older guy, were very close. And she died in Aaron's, our boss, arms. Needless to say, this has been a really hard week for everyone. Yesterday morning you helped us find our smiles again. That's why we came here yesterday. We needed a little dose of normalcy back in our lives, a little bright spark to get us back on track, and you gave us that. Just by being your usual happy smiling self. We can't thank you enough for that."

Angela had to wipe a tear from her face. This group had carved out a special place in her heart and she cared for all of them a great deal. She knew they faced so many hardships and dangers every single day. That's why she valued their monthly visits so much. She knew that when the seven of them rolled in, that everyone was okay. It hurt her heart to hear how they had struggled lately. But it also made her smile knowing that she was able to help them heal, even if just a little bit.

"You don't ever have to thank me, Penelope. You and your team are a very special group. I've sort of grown attached to you all. Anytime I can help, you know I will."

"We appreciate that so much, sweetie. You are such a doll. I could just hug you."

"You can, if you want. I love hugs. They always make me feel better."

So she did, tightly, for a few short moments before letting go.

"I should get going and let you get back to work. Thanks again, honey."

"Anytime, Penelope. I'm glad I could help."

"Oh, I almost forgot," she pulled an envelope from her oversized purse and handing it to Angela. "The gang asked me to give this to you, with strict instructions that you are to wait until you get home to open it."

"You're going to make me wait that long?!"

"Yes. Because I am an evil genius! Mwahahaha!"

That sent them both into a fit of laughter. "Okay, okay," Angela said through her laughter. "I'll wait."

"That's a good girl. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Penelope!"

After Penelope left, Angela got back to work and was so busy she forgot about the envelope until she was pulling her books out of her backpack to study later that night. She'd put the envelope inside the cover of her Information Technology Systems textbook so she wouldn't lose it.

She opened the envelope to find a bright colorful 'Thank You' card, obviously picked out by Penelope. It was signed by all of them, with little messages. There was a folded letter inside the envelope from Agent Rossi - David. The letter told her a little bit about Erin Strauss, the friend they had lost. He told her a bit about her struggles and her strong will to fight and overcome adversity. And how he hoped her potentially bright future would be everything she wished for. He mentioned how he knew she was working so hard to put herself through school, and hoped that his gift, on Erin's behalf, would help ease her struggles a little bit. Hopefully now she could enjoy her job with fewer worries.

Inside the letter was a check.

Angela dropped the check on the table as if it were scalding hot and gasped, throwing both hands over her mouth. She looked at the check again to make sure she'd read it correctly. Her hands trembled. Once she verified that she'd seen what she thought, she began to cry.

The remaining two years of her tuition were paid in full.

* * *

_05/31/2013_

_*Thanks to a youtube clip from 5x21 "Exit Wounds", I was able to get Garcia's coffee order right! Score! :P_


	152. Day 152: Reassurances

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for making this journey so much fun! I'm glad to hear you're still enjoying this collection. I realized earlier today that I should have included one more post-ep chapter for 8x24. I literally facepalmed when I realized I left someone out! So here you go...**

* * *

**365: Day 152**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Reassurances**

_"Hey Hotch, it's Emily. I got your message. I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you until now. We've been on assignment. Give me a call when you get this. Doesn't matter what time it is. Just call me."_

That was the message on Aaron Hotchner's cell phone when he got out of the shower on Saturday morning. He checked the clock. 7:15am. Jack probably wouldn't be up for another hour. And it was 1:15pm in London. The chances of catching her were pretty good. So he called. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hotch?"

"Hey Emily."

"Clyde got me your message last week. I'm so sorry I couldn't call back until now."

"It's okay. We understand, you know that. There's only so much you can do when you're on the job."

"Right. Are you guys okay? The Replicator's dead?"

"We're okay. Did Clyde tell you about Strauss?"

"Yes," she sighed. "I can't believe it."

"Yeah. She's the last person any of us thought would be in danger. We couldn't have called that one anymore wrong."

She could hear the strains of defeat in his voice. "Hotch, please tell me you're not blaming yourself for this."

"I'm trying not to. I think we're all blaming ourselves a little. He got so far ahead of us. Dave is taking this hard."

That confused her. "Really? I was under the impression they didn't care for each other much."

Hotch chuckled. "I sometimes forget you're not here to get all the scoop. Dave and Erin had been together for about a year."

"Together?" Surely that didn't mean what she thought it meant. "Define together."

"Really, Emily?" he smirked.

"I was afraid of that. Wow. That's one I definitely did not see coming."

"It happened after she got sober. He helped her through some tough days during that time. They'd gotten incredibly close."

"Oh man. I had no idea. I'll have to call him later."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

"Now what about the rest of you? Everyone is okay? Nobody got hurt?"

"We had quite a few close calls, but we're all okay now."

"What happened?"

He counted off everything that happened that night. "Dave was poisoned with the same drugs that killed Erin, but a lesser dose, so he was okay. He almost shot Morgan. Reid, Blake, and I were in a helicopter that crash landed. Blake was kidnapped and chained up. And we were all nearly blown up."

"Oh my God, Hotch!"

"But yes, we're all okay. We're fine."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Man, I still can't believe that about Strauss. I mean, we were never close, but..."

"Yeah. I know." He heard Jack's bedroom door open and footsteps heading down the hall to the kitchen. "Jack just got up. I need to go."

"Okay. Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I'm so glad you guys are okay. You go back to work Monday?"

"Yes."

"Be safe."

"We will. You too, Emily. We'll talk again soon."

They ended the call and Aaron went into the kitchen to begin his day with his son.

* * *

_06/01/2013_


	153. Day 153: Always Here

**A/N: Thanks again, everyone for all the reviews! And hello to all my new followers! (I can't believe this story is still getting new followers 150+ chapters in!) A few of you asked for a follow-up to the previous chapter, so here you go!**

* * *

**365: Day 153**

**Characters: David Rossi, Emily Prentiss**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Always Here**

After talking with Hotch on Saturday, Emily tried to call Dave but couldn't get him. So she waited until Sunday and tried again. He picked up on the third ring.

"Rossi."

"Hi Dave."

"Hey, you!" his tone lightened immediately. "How are you?"

"Exhausted, but good. We've been out on assignment for three weeks straight. Feels good to be home."

"I know that feeling well."

"Listen," she began. "I talked to Hotch yesterday. I got the message about what happened with the Replicator, but I couldn't call until now. I'm sorry it's taken me so long."

"Believe me, Emily, we understand," he told her. "None of us are exactly in jobs where we can just pick up the phone whenever we want. We have responsibilities."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Sometimes those responsibilities suck."

"Yes they do," he chuckled.

"I was sorry to hear about Strauss. Hotch didn't really give me the details. I think he was going to, but Jack woke up and he had to go. What happened?"

He sighed sadly, but steeled himself to tell her the story. He told her about Strauss joining them on the case in New York, how Garcia discovered The Replicator was there watching them. He told her about the mess he found in her room, about the sobriety coin. He told her how they found her and how she died in Hotch's arms. How he was seconds too late to be there for her.

"God, Dave," she breathed. "I can't believe it. I mean, we were far from close, but I know she was turning things around with all of you. She shouldn't have gone out like that."

"You're right about that. She did a lot of good for this team over the last year. She became a part of this team. I wish you'd gotten a chance to see that. She actually led us straight to him. We believed there was a strong possibility that there was someone on the inside, but the Director wanted to pull us off the case. She started setting a trap for him, changing some minor details in Hotch's case report so he would have the wrong details of the case to replicate. And it worked. Unfortunately, he made his mistake with the details of her murder. But she got the last laugh in the end." That's when he told her about using her coin to block the lock in his cellar door, and removing it to trap him inside when the house blew up like the Fourth of July.

"Nice move, Rossi. I'm sure she would have enjoyed that."

"I hope she did."

"So...," her tone changed and he knew he was busted. "When were you going to tell me that you and Strauss were, you know, you and Strauss? I had to hear it from Hotch of all people!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Hotch was the only one who knew for sure. He's my best friend, I couldn't hide that one. Morgan figured it out somehow. I'm still not sure how yet, but I'll find out. Nobody else knew. We didn't want people asking a lot of questions or trying to use our relationship to break apart the team for any reason. We felt it best to keep it under wraps. And lets face it," he chuckled again, "you and Erin didn't exactly have a good track record with each other. I knew you would either flip out or try to change my mind. Or better yet, get on a plane and come over here for the sole purpose of smacking me upside the head."

She laughed at that one. That was a distinct possibility, one she'd keep stored away for future indiscretions.

"Like I said earlier though," he continued. "You didn't get to see much of her after her stint in rehab. It had a profound impact on her and the person she was becoming. I was very glad to be there to witness it."

"I saw how much help she gave us during the bank heist case. She was turning it around. Who knows, maybe we could have gotten past our issues someday. It's a shame we won't ever get the chance to try."

"Yes it is. She managed to mend fences with Aaron, Morgan, and Alex, and that was a big one."

"So I've heard. In any case, I'm sorry for your loss, Dave. I know she meant a lot to you."

"She did. Thank you, Emily."

They chatted for a few more minutes before Emily had to go.

"Just so you know," she reminded him before hanging up, "I'm always here, Rossi. Anytime. Remember that, please."

"I will, Emily. Thanks again for calling."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

* * *

_06/02/2013_


	154. Day 154: A Sports Enthusiast

**A/N: Okay, so I'm having a bit of a hockey meltdown tonight, and since I made JJ a Pittsburgh Penguins fan in "Day 113: Playoff Bound", I feel she should be having a meltdown with me! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 154**

**Characters: JJ, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Sports Enthusiast**

David Rossi was in his hotel room across the hall from JJ's reading over his case notes.

Aaron Hotchner was in his hotel room next to Rossi's on the phone with his son.

Alex Blake was in her room to the left of JJ's also reading her case notes.

And Spencer Reid was in Derek Morgan's room to the right of JJ's pouring over a color-coded map of the city trying to find clues about their unsub's hunting ground while sparring with chop sticks.

And JJ... JJ was in the desk chair glued to the television watching her Pittsburgh Penguins completely embarrass themselves against the Boston Bruins.

"Oh, so it's going to be that kind of game, huh?" she spoke frustratingly to the TV after the Bruins scored the first goal only twenty-eight seconds into the game. "Come back on 'em. Get 'em, boys!"

But that didn't happen. And fourteen minutes later, she was fussing again.

"Are you KIDDING?! What was that?!" she yelled.

And less than two minutes later... "WHAT?! Come on! What is happening here?! What are you doing?"

Three goals against in the first period prompted the Penguins coach to change his goaltender in the hopes of sparking his team. And it worked momentarily. JJ got a small glimmer of hope, courtesy of Brandon Sutter and his snap shot with thirty four seconds remaining in the first period.

"FINALLY! THANK YOU! Now, keep it up!"

Unfortunately, her team couldn't hear her. And Boston got one more goal before the end of the period, making the score a crushing 4-1 at the end of the first.

JJ groaned loudly and dropped her head into her hands, shaking her head.

Unbeknownst to her, her team were now gathered in the hallway in front of her room.

"What is going on in there?" Blake asked, confused by all the random outbursts she could hear through the walls.

"It's hockey playoffs. And her boys are making fools of themselves," Morgan replied.

"I'm surprised you're not ranting in there beside her," Rossi said to him.

"Nah. My boys play tomorrow night," Morgan spoke, of course, of his beloved Chicago Blackhawks. "And they're taking care of business."

"I'll never understand sports enthusiasts," Reid muttered.

"Oh come on, Reid," Hotch spoke up. "Sports fans are no different than Whovians or Trekkies. It's a passion."

"It's barbaric."

Rossi had to laugh. "It's a tough game, but it's great competition."

"Yeah man," Morgan said, "it's fierce!"

"And it's kind of sexy."

The four men stared openly at Blake.

"What?" she shrugged. "That much raging testosterone skating hard and fast for three hours... it is!"

They all got a good laugh out of that.

"It's been awfully quiet in there for a while," Reid spoke up. "Do you think we should check on her?"

"Nah," Morgan replied. "That just means nobody's scoring. I'll tell you one thing, though. I'm getting a beer and staying in this hallway. This is free entertainment!"

They all laughed... then quickly agreed. Rossi and Morgan went down to the hotel bar and came back with six beers. They picked up one for JJ that they'd give her once they felt it was safe to enter her realm. They were all now sitting on the floor chatting quietly so as not to give away their position outside JJ's door. And they knew things were continuing to go poorly when they heard a string of obscenities come from the other side of the door.

"So that's..." Hotch counted back the yelling fits, "5-1?"

"Yep," Reid nodded.

"Ouch," Rossi cringed.

"That's brutal," Morgan shook his head. "Glad my guys are playing better than that."

"That's just embarrassing," Blake agreed with the rest.

There was another long stretch of quiet from JJ's room.

"You think it's over?" Reid asked. "Is it safe?"

Morgan checked the NHL's website from his phone. "Not quite yet, kid."

And then they heard it.

"Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!"

And they all hung their heads.

"Wow. Just... wow."

A few short minutes later, Morgan's phone dinged. He looked to see the update. Final score - Boston 6, Pittsburgh 1.

"Now it's over."

"Alright," Hotch stood and the others followed. "Let's go console our girl. Who's got her beer?"

"Right here," Rossi held it up.

They all gathered and knocked on her door. She answered, looking disheveled. She'd clearly been running her hands through her hair.

"Uh... hi guys. What's up?"

Rossi handed her the beer. "Sounds like you could use this."

She dropped her head and began to laugh. "So... uh... you heard some of that, huh?"

"All of that, actually."

"We've been in the hallway for the last two hours."

JJ groaned, embarrassed as the other laughed.

She held out her hand to Rossi. "I think I'll take that beer now."

He handed it over and they all went into JJ's room, spending the rest of the evening together in laughter.

* * *

_06/03/2013_

_*All game information was taken from the Bruins/Penguins telecast on NBC Sports Network and specific time information was taken from the NHL website. No copyright infringement intended._

_*And yes, I'm a Penguins fan. Right now, a very disgruntled Penguins fan. JJ's reactions in the story are my own. And the team keeping score by her reactions is my husband. My husband keeps track of the score by the amount of cheering/swearing he hears from the living room. True story!_


	155. Day 155: Calling In

**A/N: Hi gang! So glad everyone enjoyed last night's chapter. It was loads of fun to write, despite my obvious frustration. I thought about doing a Morgan/Blackhawks chapter tonight, but I didn't want to do two hockey chapters in a row. Maybe in a few days I'll come back to that. For now, I'm running with an idea that Rockhotch31 sent me. This was her prompt... "Will is working major case and Henry wakes up with a spiked fever. JJ calls in to talk to Hotch to take the day off." **

***raises glass* Here's to you, Rockie!**

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**365: Day 155**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Calling In**

It was a little before 6:00am when Hotch's cell phone rang. He answered it quickly to avoid waking Jack, knowing that any call that early in the morning couldn't be good.

"Hotchner," he said quietly.

"Hey, it's JJ." He could hear a hint of panic in her voice.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, not really," she said hurriedly. "Henry spiked a fever a few hours ago and we've been up most of the night. If we can't get it down in the next hour or two, I've got to take him to the doctor. Will is in the middle of a huge case. They're making the bust in a few hours so I can't call him..."

"JJ, breathe," Hotch cut her off. "Take whatever time you need. Just take care of Henry. Don't worry about work. We can take care of it."

"Thanks, Hotch," she sighed.

"How high is his fever?"

"103. I've given him some Tylenol and I've got him in the tub to try to cool him off."

"Good idea. Just keep us in the loop and let us know how he's doing."

"I will. Thanks, Hotch."

Later that afternoon, Hotch's cell rang again. This time he took a second to look at the caller ID before answering.

"Hey JJ. How's Henry?"

"We just got back from the doctor. He has strep throat."

"That's rough."

"Yeah. He's pretty miserable. With moments of joy when he gets a popsicle."

He chuckled. "Jack was the same way. Apparently when you're four, popsicles make everything better."

"Yeah. It's a shame that doesn't last."

"I know."

"He's finally asleep now, thankfully."

"Good. Rest is what he needs. So do you."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Like I said, take all the time you need."

"I appreciate that, Hotch. I know I'll need tomorrow. Will will probably be back home by then."

"Okay. Get some rest."

"I'll try. Thanks again, Hotch."

"Anytime."

They ended the call and she went to check on Henry. He was still sleeping soundly. She gave him a kiss and draped a cool washcloth over his forehead before stretching out next to him and finally getting some sleep.

* * *

_06/04/2013_


	156. Day 156: Wishful Thinking

**A/N: I dedicate this to my sisters of the CM Revolution. TN, Rockie, and Monks. I love you ladies! Thanks for the inspiration!**

* * *

**365: Day 156**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Wishful Thinking**

The BAU ladies were sitting around JJ's kitchen table having lunch. Since Henry was sick, they decided to bring lunch to her. Henry was taking a nap in his room. The three enjoyed their brief time together with fun stories and lots of laughter.

"We really need a girls night out," JJ said. "It's been way too long."

"Absolut-a-mundo!" Garcia agreed! "We've got to initiate Dr. Alex Blake properly into the BAU Girls Club!"

Blake's eyes widened a bit. "Should I be afraid?"

"Yes!" They both answered, laughing yet again.

"Oh dear," she cringed, then laughed.

"Hey!" Garcia perked up. "Maybe we'll run into FBI Brad again!"

JJ burst out laughing, then told Blake of their first encounter with their favorite fake FBI Agent.

"Oh. My. God!" she dropped her head back in disbelief. "That's hysterical!"

"I wish you could have seen Emily," JJ said. "She played that poor fool like a classical piano. It was beautiful!"

"I bet. I wish I could have worked with her. She seems like quite the character."

"That's for sure!" Garcia agreed.

They continued to laugh as they regaled Blake with tales of previous girls nights out.

"We BAU ladies have to stick together. There's a bit too much testosterone running around out there. Sometimes we just need to let loose and be free."

"Damn straight," JJ raised her glass of sweet tea and toasted Garcia's sentiment.

"Here here," Blake raised her glass in agreement.

"So, Agent Blake," Garcia asked, "what is your beverage of choice."

"You know, the usual, beer, wine..."

"No no, your _real_ beverage of choice. We're talking about the good stuff here."

"Ah. I like Long Island Teas, Cosmopolitans..."

"The Green Fairy!" Garcia and JJ called out simultaneously, arms in the air and laughing.

"One of these day you will have to tell me the Green Fairy story. It's been mentioned too many times for it not to be a classic."

"We'll have to wait until we're wasted again," JJ replied.

"Yeah. That seems to be the only way we can remember it!"

Blake shook her head, laughing still. These girls were way too much fun. And she was very glad to be included.

* * *

_06/05/2013_


	157. Day 157: Happy Birthday Derek Morgan

**A/N: With the help of a few friends and the Criminal Minds Wiki site, I found out that today, June 6, is Derek Morgan's 40th birthday! Sooo... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEREK MORGAN!**

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**365: Day 157**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Happy Birthday Derek Morgan**

The team were in Los Angeles on a case on June 6 - Derek Morgan's birthday. The team had been making "The Big 4-0!" and "Lordy, Lordy, Morgan's 40!" jokes at his expense all afternoon. To his credit, Morgan was a good sport. After all, he expected some good-natured hazing on his big day. It wouldn't be right without it!

Unbeknownst to him, the team had been working on a surprise for him, which of course all hinged on them solving their case before 6:00pm local time. As luck would have it, they did!

They were packing up case files and preparing to leave the department for their hotel rooms when a young officer stepped up to him.

"Excuse me, Agent Morgan? Chief Hainey would like to see you before you go. He's in his office."

Morgan looked at his fellow agents, looking for a sign as to what the chief might want. The others shrugged, so Morgan left their makeshift conference room in search of the chief. When he left the room, the others turned to each other with grins and thumbs up. They knew what was up.

He knocked on Chief Hainey's door before entering. He was surprised to see Hotch standing next to the chief.

"What's going on?" he immediately worried. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Morgan," Hotch reassured. "More than fine, actually."

"Agent Morgan, I wanted to thank you for all the excellent work you gave us on this case. Your determination and knowledge of obsessional crimes broke this case wide open. We couldn't have done it without you."

"I appreciate that, Chief," he said humbly, "but it wasn't me. It was a team effort. Our team and yours."

The chief smiled back at him. "Well, regardless, well done, Agent." He rose from his seat to shake Morgan's hand. "And happy birthday."

Morgan took his hand. "Thank you."

"Morgan," Hotch got his attention. "The good chief helped us with a little side project while we were in the field."

Morgan looked confused. And he had no idea the rest of the team were watching through the window that was behind him. "What project?"

Hotch handed him a small box. "Take a look and see."

Morgan eyed Hotch questioningly before opening the box. His eyes went wide when he saw two tickets to tonight's NHL Playoff game at the Staples Center in downtown LA between the LA Kings and his beloved Chicago Blackhawks.

"We're not leaving until tomorrow morning," Hotch said as Morgan continued to stare at the tickets inside the box. "Happy Birthday, Derek."

"But... how... wait. Playoff tickets sell out as soon as they go on sale. How did you do this?" He sounded stunned.

"I overheard you and your team talking about the game," Chief Hainey said. "I had tickets but something's come up and my wife and I can't go. I was going to sell them. When Agent Hotchner told me what a big fan you are, I knew I'd found the right man to give them to."

"You've got to let me pay you for these. This are not cheap."

"Not happening. Your team took care of that for you. Enjoy the night, young man."

"Thank... thank you," he stumbled over his words. "Thank you very much."

The team watched his reactions through the window and all clapped and patted each other on the back for a surprise well played. Hotch and Morgan came out of the office to the "Happy Birthday" cheers of his friends. He looked at JJ.

"You coming with me, hockey lady?"

"Hell yeah!" her arms went into the air, causing the others to laugh.

"Good choice," Rossi said. The others agreed. The two biggest hockey fans on the team were going to a playoff game.

"We've got to go back to the hotel before we go," Morgan said.

"Why?"

"My 'Hawks jersey is there!"

They laughed, knowing he would be one of maybe twenty Chicago Blackhawks fans in a sea of black and silver. And they knew he would relish every second of it.

He and JJ took a cab to the Staples Center, got drinks and nachos, and found their seats relatively quickly. He was stunned to see how close the seats were. They were seats held aside for season ticket holders.

"I can't believe he passed these up!"

"He really was going to sell them for tonight. He and his wife have an event to attend. We all chipped in and bought them from him."

"This is so awesome! Best birthday present ever! Hands down!"

"Good! I'm glad!" She laughed at his enthusiasm. Fifteen minutes later the game was starting.

There was an early letdown when, just four minutes into the first period, Slave Voynov scored the first goal for the LA Kings, sending the black and silver faithful into a frenzy. But roughly twelve minutes later the Blackhawks evened the score when Bryan Bickell knocked a knuckling puck past the glove hand of Kings goaltender, Jonathan Quick.

In the second period, Kings forward Jeff Carter took a backhand shot, missing the goal, but catching the stickblade of his teammate Dustin Penner, who tipped the puck past Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford for the Kings second goa, giving them a 2-1 leadl.

Derek got excited when, shortly after the goal, two Kings players made some dumb mistakes, leading to both players sitting in the penalty box and giving the 'Hawks a HUGE opportunity with a 5-on-3 powerplay. Unfortunately, Quick was stronger and he held the Blackhawks scoreless over the course of those two minutes.

But the Kings joy at killing the penalty did not last long. While many players were scrambling in front of the net, the puck was knocked out near the blue line for Niklas Hjalmarsson. He took a powerful shot, which was tipped by Bickell and again by Patrick Kane, sliding past Quick for the Blackhawks second goal, tying the game with less that two minutes remaining in the second and JJ were both excited and nervous at the same time. What an incredible game! So much intensity, a lively enthusiastic crowd that stood firmly behind their boys. He still couldn't believe he was here!And then, very early in the third period, Marian Hossa gave him a reason to jump up out of his seat and scream and shout his love of the Blackhawks. Hossa gave the Blackhawks their first lead of the game. And it worked like a charm.3-2 would remain the final score. The Blackhawks stood victorious!

He clapped and cheered loudly. "Happy birthday to me!

* * *

06/06/2013


	158. Day 158: Consolation Prize

**A/N: *sigh* I'm sad. My Pittsburgh Penguins are officially out of the playoffs as of tonight. *hangs head* So yeah, you get another hockey chapter. My apologies to those of you who aren't sports fans. Hockey season will be over soon. I promise.**

* * *

**365: Day 158**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Consolation Prize**

Jennifer Jareau stared at the television in her hotel room in stunned silence. The game was over. A team dressed in black and gold uniforms was celebrating around their goaltender. For JJ, it was the wrong black and gold team. The black and gold Boston Bruins had just swept her black and gold Pittsburgh Penguins right out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A four game sweep in a best of seven series of the second best team in the league. She shook her head. She couldn't deny that Boston was damn good. They'd held the highest scoring team in the league to a measly two goals. And two of the best players in the world - Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin - to a grand total of zero points in four games. And their goalie... just wow! He stopped over 100 shots in the four games, leading his team to victory and a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.

All she could do was shake her head.

And then there was a knock on the door.

"Special delivery!" came Derek Morgan's voice from the hallway.

"I'm not in the mood, Derek," she told him through the door.

"Aw, come on, mama. You'll like this. I promise!" he called back.

She sighed and went to the door, letting him in. He held out his hand and offered her a hot fudge sundae with nuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.

"What's this?"

"Your consolation prize."

She chuckled and accepted his gift. "Thanks, Derek."

"My pleasure," he grinned his megawatt smile.

"Well," she said, taking a bite and enjoying the deliciousness so much she was thrown off track. "Mmmmm..."

He laughed. "You were saying?"

"Mmm-Hmm," she took another bite before vocalizing her thought. "It's all up to you now. My team is done, Hotch's team is done. It's all on you and your Blackhawks."

"Yep. And we're going to bring that cup home to Chi-Town where it should be. One more game to take care of the Kings, and then it's our turn to take down those pesky Bruins."

She took a few more bites of her sundae. "Watch out for them. They're more dangerous than they look."

"Will do. Feel better now?"

She couldn't help but smile and nod. "Thanks, Derek."

"Anytime," he grinned, and left her with her cup of chocolatey, nutty, creamy, gooey goodness.

* * *

_06/07/2013_


	159. Day 159: Stay the Course

**A/N: Hi gang! As I'm sure many of you discovered yesterday, the site was having some technical issues. I tried until 11:00pm Central Time last night to log in to post this, but couldn't get in. My apologies for being late, but here is yesterday's chapter. Today's chapter will be up later tonight. I hope you enjoy! And thanks to Rockhotch31 for suggesting this theme!**

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**365: Day 159**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Stay The Course**

At 8:30am Saturday morning, Aaron Hotchner picked up David Rossi at his home and headed south down the I-95 to Forest Greens Golf Club. It was a beautiful morning. Temperatures in the high 60's, overcast skies. It would probably rain in the afternoon, but for an early morning 18 holes of golf, it was perfect.

The picturesque pine-lined greens and rolling fairways were a sight to behold. In many ways it felt more like being on a nature trail rather than a golf course. They'd taken special care to infuse the countryside and natural wildlife into the course, causing its patrons to forget that just on the other side of the woods was the busy interstate leading towards their Nation's capital.

Dave went into the pro shop to pay the range fees and rent them a golf cart while Aaron got their clubs from the back of his SUV. Once set, the two friends headed off for a morning of relaxation on the green. Since neither of them had a chance to work on their golf swing recently, they opted for the intermediate course.

The conversation was light and easy, mostly involving the beautiful scenery as they made their way from hole to hole. It felt good to both of them to be able to come out here and get away from the chaos that was everyday life, if only for a few hours. And it gave Aaron a chance to check on his friend without being pushy or overbearing. He was still worried about Dave since losing Erin. But the more he watched him this morning, he knew his friend was healing well. There was still that hint of sadness in his eyes from time to time, but on the whole he seemed his usual carefree, witty, funny self.

There was also a great deal of teasing throughout the morning: Aaron landed a ball in the lake on 7, and in the bunker on 9. Dave clubbed his into the trees on 6, never to be seen again. Simple putts went awry, chips from the fringe sailed past the flag. When Aaron tried to use his sand wedge to get the ball from the bunker to the green on 11, he wound up covering both himself and Dave in sand. The two friends could not contain their laughter at the sight of their once well-mastered golf games going straight down the tubes.

"What happened to us?" Aaron hung his head as the ball went straight up in the air, and right back down into the same bunker.

"We spend way too much time in the office, that's what happened to us."

"You got that right. We need to get out here more often."

"Maybe we should have started on the beginner course."

Aaron shook his head. "Now that's just sad."

Dave chuckled as Aaron triple-bogeyed the hole and they moved on down the course.

As they progressed, their game seemed to come to life. They found their form and from holes 13-18, they looked like the fairly decent golfers they once were. Dave birdied the hole on 14 and eagled 15. Aaron didn't fare quite as well, but better than before, paring both holes. And both of them miraculously managed to birdy on 18. There were cheers and high-fives abound.

They left the course and returned the cart to the pro shop, storing their clubs in Aaron's SUV before having lunch in the club's dining room. Again, the conversation fell to lighthearted topics of Jack's summer plans, a possible camping trip for father and son, and Dave finally taking a much needed vacation and planning a trip to Italy. A gentle rain moved into the area as the two men finished their lunch and headed home.

Aaron pulled into Dave's driveway and got out to help him retrieve his clubs from the back. They went in through the garage and Dave sat his golf bag in its designated corner.

"Want a beer?"

"Nah, not today. I've got to go pick up Jack. Jessica has plans tonight, and it's pizza and a movie night in the Hotchner home."

"Sounds like fun. Let me guess... "Cars" again?"

"God, I hope not," Aaron shook his head. "I can quote the entire movie now. There's got to be something else on our shelves that he hasn't run into the ground yet."

Dave laughed. "Good luck with that."

"Yeah."

He walked Aaron to the door, but stopped him on the front porch.

"Aaron... thanks for checking up on me."

He offered Dave a small smile. "I guess you saw through me a bit, huh?"

"Maybe a little. I really am okay."

"I know."

"But I needed a day like today. Thanks for that."

"Anytime. Next time you're ready for some more golf course embarrassment, let me know. I'll gladly embarrass myself with you."

"Deal," Dave laughed.

"Call me if you need anything."

"I will. I'll see you Monday."

Aaron nodded and went to his SUV, waving as he drove off. Dave closed the door and chuckled once again at the image of Aaron Hotchner covered in sand and looking dejected in the bunker. Today was exactly what he needed. He felt like his old self again.

And it felt good.

* * *

_06/08/2013_

_*Eagle, birdie, par, and bogey are all golf terms used to keep score. Every hole has a designated number of shots it should take to reach the hole, called Par. A birdie means it took one less shot than required. Eagle means two less. And Bogey means it took one more shot than required. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!_


	160. Day 160: Fuzzy Cuddly Cuteness

**A/N: Thank you again, everyone, for all the wonderful reviews. And to my new followers... welcome! I hope you enjoy yourself.**

**Special thanks to Ahmose Inarus for the prompt for this chapter and unlocking my brain when it didn't want to work anymore!**

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**365: Day 160**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Fuzzy Cuddly Cuteness**

Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia coincidentally ran into each other at the grocery store. Their apartments were not far from each other, so it was surprising that they hadn't run into each other here before. And yet, there they were, side by side in the produce aisle.

"Well hello there, my favorite boy genius!" she exclaimed as she spotted him while selecting the perfect head of lettuce.

"Oh, hi Garcia!" he smiled at her. Even with something as mundane as grocery shopping, she was dressed in her usual bright colorful fashion.

"You mean to tell me that Spencer Reid lives on something other than coffee?" she teased, noticing his handheld basket of fruits and veggies.

"Well, from time to time. Hard to keep perishables when we're never in town to eat them."

"Good point."

They continued the rest of their shopping trip together, chatting along the way about sci-fi conventions, the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, and who would portray the next Dr. Who. They went through the checkout line one behind the other, and walked out to the parking lot together. They were on the sidewalk about to cross the street when they heard a tiny pitiful sounding mew. They looked at each other, determining they'd both heard it, and turned to look at the bushes near the door. There in the brush was a tiny orange tabby cat. Reid bent down and carefully picked it up, holding it cautiously. The tiny thing couldn't have weighed a pound.

"Hi there, little one. What brought you way out here?"

_Mew!_

"Oh my goodness! Look how little bitty and tiny and cute! We can't leave it out here."

_Mew!_

"Its still very young. Its eyes are barely open. Its mother may still be close by," Reid said, handing the kitten gently to Garcia and glancing through the bushes on both sides of the door hoping to find a mother cat. He came up empty. He looked back at Garcia, who was cuddling the tiny ball of fuzz. He smiled and shook his head.

"Is there a Pet Smart or Super Pets or some place like that near your apartment?"

Garcia almost squealed with delight at the thought of taking care of the kitten. "There's a Pet Smart right down the street. Come on!"

So Reid joined Garcia on the journey to get what was needed to care for a very young kitten. She pulled into the Pet Smart parking lot and Reid opened the door. "I'll go get what you need. You stay with the kitten."

"I still have Sergio's food bowls and litter box," she mentioned Emily's cat, which she cared for while Emily was... dead? Wow that still sounded weird to her. "But I don't have litter or toys or food or whatever else."

"I'll take care of it," he said, getting out and shutting the door. Fifteen minutes later he returned with two bags of stuff and they headed to Garcia's apartment.

Once there, Reid took over watching the kitten while Garcia dug out the litter box and food bowls.

"Its still a little too young for solid food, so I got some milk formulated for a kitten's digestive system and a small bottle. We should bottle feed it for a few days at least. Then we can try the kitten chow. And we need to take it to the vet soon."

"We need to stop calling it 'It'. It needs a name."

"Well, I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl. Sometimes male felines develop a little late. It makes it hard to tell by simply looking."

She cuddled the kitten close to her chest again. "I will love it and squeeze it and call it George."

Reid laughed out loud at her perfect impression of a character from an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. "But what if it's a girl?"

"Georgie. See, it works both ways! It's perfect!"

_Mew! _The kitten apparently agreed.

"Yes. Yes it is." He took the small bottles to her kitchen, washing and drying them with medical precision, then filling one of them with milk. He gave it to Garcia, who still had the kitten cuddled close. She held the nipple to the kitten's mouth and it immediately took to it, suckling greedily.

"I just love this itty bitty kitty already. I want to keep it."

"I thought you might. You should take it to the vet in the morning. Find out for sure if it's a George or a Georgie. I put the cat carrier in the kitchen by the sink."

"I'll pay you back for all this stuff."

"Don't worry about that. I'm going to be visiting this kitten quite a bit, I think."

She giggled. "This is making me remember how much I enjoyed having Sergio here. We'll have to Skype Emily soon so George and Sergio can meet!"

He laughed. "Yeah. Sure. Sounds good."

Garcia pulled the bottle away from the kitten to give it a break. It's little paws reached out for it and it mewed again. Reid took the kitten and cuddled it in his arms, rubbing it gently behind the ears. He got a soft purr in response.

"Awww! He likes you!"

"Huh. I guess the Reid-Effect only applies to dogs. That's good to know."

The kitten was now sucking on Reid's shirt and kneading its tiny paws against his chest.

"You're still hungry aren't you, little buddy?"

He pulled the kitten away from his chest, causing another mew, and returned it to Garcia, who gave the bottle back to it.

"Well, you two seem to be okay, so I'm going to go."

"Oh Reid! I drove you! How are you getting home?"

"There's a bus stop at the end of your block. It should be arriving within the next five minutes. It stops two blocks from my apartment."

"Okay. Thanks for the help, Reid."

"You're welcome. I put your groceries away, too."

"Oh! Thanks!"

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow." He walked over to her and rubbed the kitten's head again, eliciting more purrs and more kneading.

"Night night, George. See you tomorrow."

_Mew!_

* * *

_06/09/2013_


	161. Day 161: Meeting of the Fuzzies

**A/N: HOLY CRAP PEOPLE! 2501 REVIEWS! You are all amazing and wonderful and awesome and just oozing with fantasticalness! I don't even know what to say right now. Thank you all so very much! *HUGS IN ABUNDANCE***

**And for your awesomeness, here is a follow-up to yesterday's chapter!**

**Also... I meant to add this note to last night's chapter. This is dedicated to my favorite Aly-Cat, and her pal, George.**

* * *

**365: Day 161**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Emily Prentiss, Sergio, George**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Meeting of the Fuzzies**

Garcia brought her new tiny kitten to the vet on Monday morning. She left it there so it could be examined and vaccinated, with a promise to pick up the fuzzy bundle of joy in a few hours when she got off work. She got the okay from Hotch to leave work a little early and arrived at the vet just after 3:00pm. Her new little guy checked out okay. And yes, it was officially a George. The barely two-week old kitten weighed in at 10 ounces. The vet suggested sticking with the milk for another week, then switching to food, adding a little water to dry food to soften it for the little guy.

Garcia and George arrived back at her apartment ten minutes later. She let him out of the cat carrier and watched him stumble around on his little legs and pounce on the little mouse toy that Reid had bought last night. He already loved that toy. Garcia nearly squealed with joy. Oh, how she was loving this little guy already.

She booted up her laptop and checked Skype to see if Emily was online. It was nearing 10:00pm in London, and unless she was out on a case, she should be home by now. She clapped her hands when she saw that Emily was indeed online. She shot her a quick message asking if she had a few minutes to chat. Instead of typing a message in answer, Emily started a call.

"Hello my favorite tech goddess!"

"Hey! Hi! I'm so glad you're up! I want you to meet someone!"

Emily's mind immediately went to a new man in Penelope's life. And she was right... sort of. Garcia appeared back in front of the screen toting a teeny orange ball of fur.

"Emily, meet George!"

Emily grinned from ear to ear. Seeing Garcia with the kitten was beyond fitting. Garcia sat the kitten on the desk and it climbed over the keyboard and stuck its little face directly in front of the screen.

_Mew! Mew!_

"Well hi there, George," Emily giggled. "Aren't you a little cutie pie!"

_Mew!_

"So when did George come into your life?"

"Oh, it was so meant to be! I was a the grocery store and I ran into Reid, and when we were leaving we heard this tiny cry and Reid found him in the bushes. I just fell in love with him. I had to keep him. Reid helped me get some stuff for him last night and I took him to the vet this morning. He's tiny, but perfectly healthy."

_Mew!_

"And talkative, I see," Emily giggled some more. "He's so cute!"

_Mew!_

"Yes, you are! You know you're a cutie patootie, don't you," Garcia talked to the kitten in a baby voice and scratched him behind the ears, eliciting loud purring. Emily laughed some more, before her own favorite fuzz-ball jumped into her lap to see what was going on.

"Look, Sergio. You see the kitten?"

Sergio cocked his head sideways staring at the bouncing ball of fluff on the screen. He reached his paw out trying to touch it, but all he found was screen. He looked back at Emily, bewildered. She scratched him under his chin and behind his ears.

"Sergio, this is George." He continued to stare at the screen, inching closer and closer, putting his nose on the screen trying to check out the new fluffy thing.

"Hey Sergio! How's my favorite British kitty?"

He pawed at the screen again and Garcia put her hand up to meet his paw.

"Aww! I miss you too, buddy."

_Mew!_

"Hey Georgy-Porgy, this is your cousin, Sergio."

_Mew!_

He rubbed his little head against the screen and Sergio did the same.

"Look! They're friends already!"

"Yeah, looks like it," Emily giggled more.

The two cats played around the computer while Garcia and Emily talked for another hour before Emily had to go.

"Welcome to the family, George!" she called out.

_Mew!_

"Ha! I think he heard you!"

"Good!"

"Goodnight Sergio. See you soon, buddy! Auntie Garcie loves you!"

"He's purring now. I think he heard you, too."

"Good. Give him some good scratching for me."

"Will do. Do the same for me with George."

"Consider it done. Goodnight, my dear!"

"Goodnight Penelope."

_Mew!_

"Goodnight George!"

* * *

_06/10/2013_


	162. Day 162: Explanations

**A/N: Hi peeps! Thanks again for all the love and support. I send hugs to you all! **

**Hey Rockie! "What happened to your angst?" you asked... It is here! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  
**

**Thanks to CMCity for giving me this idea (and for the awesome message!)**

* * *

**365: Day 162**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, mentions of Sean Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Explanations**

Jack Hotchner's little brain wouldn't turn off. It had been weeks since the trip to New York. Weeks since his dad introduced him to his uncle... again? He's asked if he remembered Uncle Sean. That should mean he'd met him before, but he didn't remember him. All he really knew about his uncle was that his dad rarely talked about him, and that he didn't come to his mom's funeral. He wanted to ask his dad about him, but the last thing he wanted was to make his dad sad.

He tried to remember his uncle. Tried to remember if something happened that made him not come around. But he couldn't remember him at all. A few weeks ago felt like the first time he'd ever met him.

Hotch stood in the doorway watching his boy. He could tell there was something on his young mind. He recognized that look. Brow furrowed, chewing on the corner of his bottom lip. They were tell-tale Hotchner signs of deep thought. Jack sat on the edge of his bed, legs swinging back and forth. Hotch knew he needed to see what was up. He went in and sat next to his son, running his hand over his hair.

"Is everything okay, buddy?"

He sighed. "Daddy, can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You can ask me anything. What is it?"

"When we were in New York, you asked me if I remembered Uncle Sean. I didn't."

"I didn't think you did. It had been a long time since you've seen each other."

"Why?"

That was the question he'd been avoiding. He hadn't figured out yet how to explain Sean's absence in a way that a seven year old could understand. But now he had no choice but to try.

"You know your friend Colin and his big brother Nathan? How they're really close and do a lot of things together?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Sean and I didn't have a very close relationship like that growing up. Colin and Nathan are only two years apart, so there are a lot of things they can do together. But I'm a lot older than Sean is. And there weren't many things we could do together. When he was growing up, I was away at a special school, so I didn't get to see him very much. We didn't get to play together like Colin and Nathan do. We didn't have that time to get to know each other and be friends with each other."

"But, he's your brother, right? So you already know each other."

"Yes, he's my brother. But even brothers need time to get to know each other. To understand each other. You know how when you make a new friend at school, you talk to each other and learn about each other. You find out that you like the same sports and the same cartoons, but you also like different things. Like Colin likes to play baseball, but Nathan likes basketball better. Even though they're brothers, they have differences too. Your Uncle Sean and I have a lot of differences. And we didn't have that time together as kids to understand and learn to respect those differences. Do you understand?"

"Sort of," his brow furrowed again.

"I know it's hard to understand."

"I kind of get it, but there's something I don't understand."

"What's that?"

"He's family. Family is supposed to love each other."

"He is. And we do love each other. I love Sean very much."

"Then why didn't he come to mommy's funeral?"

That was the punch in the gut that Hotch was not expecting. He truly wasn't sure Jack even remembered his mother's funeral. After all, he was only four years old at the time. But apparently he remembered much more that Hotch thought. He sighed and gave him the only answer he could.

"I don't know, buddy. I wish I did." He put his arm around Jack and held him close to his side. "Uncle Sean made some bad decisions and he got into a little trouble. But we had a long talk when I came back to New York to pick you up. And we promised each other to try harder to be there for each other. We promised to talk more. We promised to try to learn about each other and to try to understand each other. I think that's a really important step to us becoming a family again. What do you think?"

"I think that's a good idea. So, will he come visit us now?"

"Well, like I said, he got into a little trouble and he has to stay in New York until it gets fixed. It could be a few months, but it could also be a few years."

"He must be in really big trouble if he's in time out for years!"

"Yeah," Hotch chuckled. "That's pretty big trouble. But we will still get to talk to him even with him in New York. And I promise when I talk to him, you'll get to talk to him, too. And maybe we'll both get to know Uncle Sean a little better. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good. I want to know him."

"I want you to know him. And I want him to know you."

"Me too."

Aaron turned to face his son and wrapped him in a hug. "Did you know that you are my favorite person in the whole world?"

Jack smiled. "You're my favorite person in the whole world too."

"I'm glad. I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Daddy."

* * *

_06/11/2013_


	163. Day 163: Day Of The Camel

**A/N: I gained a few new followers today. Welcome to the party! I hope you enjoy yourselves! *throws confetti* As for tonight's chapter... yes, I was inspired by a camel! :P This one is short and sweet... but fun! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 163**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Day Of The Camel**

Penelope Garcia was bound and determined to have a little fun today. And she knew just how to do it. She rubbed her hands together gleefully, a devious glint in her eyes, as she worked her magic...

The team gathered in the conference room at 10:00am for their daily briefing. Penelope passed around their tablets and case files and stood with remote in hand ready for Hotch to give the okay to start. As they prepared to open their tablets to the case information, Garcia grinned her Cheshire Cat grin, which none of them saw.

Derek was first.

"What the..." He stared at his screen,which was covered with... camels?

Blake opened hers and was greeted by sound. "Hump Daaaaay! Yeaaaaah!" the smiling camel bellowed.

"I'm afraid to open mine," JJ said, trying to stifle a laugh at the bewildered look on Reid's face.

"Me too," Hotch nodded.

"I'll be brave," Rossi shrugged, and opened his tablet. It started singing to him. "Owwww-weeee! You make me... wanna... walk... like a camel!"

"What the hell is that?" he stared at Garcia.

"It's the "Camel Walk"! Happy Hump Day, people!"

Hotch hung his head and chuckled. "Are we going to have our tablets back sometime today, Garcia?"

"Eventually, after I've had my fun."

They all shook their heads. Every time Rossi opened the cover of his tablet it sang the "Camel Walk" to him. And every time Blake opened the cover of hers it bellowed at her. Reid had two-humped camels walking through the desert on his screen. Morgan had a camel sticking out its unusually long tongue at him. JJ had mama and baby camels nuzzling. Hotch still hadn't opened his yet.

"Oh come on, bossman! Please!"

He sighed, caving under Garcia's begging with the big brown puppy dog eyes. He opened his tablet slowly. His screen was filled with animated camels in party hats singing a "Happy Hump Day" song to the tune of "Happy Birthday". Everyone got a good laugh out of that. Even Hotch. He looked up at her with a smile.

"Happy Hump Day, Garcia."

"And to you too, sir."

"Now can we get started with the briefing?"

"Yes sir. Here we go..."

* * *

_06/12/2013_

_*Disclaimers: The "Hump Day" Camel bellowing at Blake is from the new "Happier than a Camel on Wednesday" Geico Insurance commercial. If you haven't seen it, youtube it. Hilarious! And the song "Camel Walk" is by Southern Culture On The Skids. Also hilarious! No copyright infringement intended._


	164. Day 164: Triple Overtime

**A/N: Thank you again everyone for all of the reviews, the encouragement, and the support. I still can't believe we're six months in and still rolling! I couldn't have done it without all of you.**

* * *

**365: Day 164**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Triple Overtime**

"Wow, Morgan, you look terrible," Spencer Reid said when Derek Morgan stumbled into the BAU just after 8:00am looking like death warmed over. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he said, removing his sunglasses. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Up too late watching the game, I'd guess," Blake said from her seat across from Reid.

"Got that right," Morgan said. "There was no way I was turning off my TV. Did you see that craziness?!"

"I saw most of it," JJ said as she walked into the bullpen from the breakroom, coffee firmly in hand, handing a second mug to Morgan. "We had to turn it off at the end of regulation. It was well past Henry's bedtime."

"Same here," Hotch said from the top of the stairs. He came down to join the others. "I made Jack go to bed and couldn't justify watching the end without him. I DVR'd it so we can watch the end tonight."

"You know what happened though, right?" Morgan asked. He wanted to make sure he wasn't spoiling the end if he talked about it.

"Oh yeah. Sounds insane! I can't wait to see it."

"I missed it," Rossi came out of his office to see what was going on on the floor below. "Fill me in."

Derek talked animatedly about an epic contest between two top-notch hockey clubs - Chicago and Boston. Of course, being a Chicago native and diehard 'Hawks fan, his words held a bit of a biased spin. But he didn't care. Today it was about basking in the glory of the victorious Chicago Blackhawks.

"Triple overtime happened! Man, you should have heard that crowd when Chicago scored that last goal! I've never heard The Madhouse that loud! And all those people stayed until the end. Nobody left! It was after midnight by the time it was over."

"Meaning it was after one here. No wonder you look like a walking zombie!"

"Thank you, Penelope."

"It's all good. I love zombies!"

"That's good to know."

They all laughed at the banter between Morgan and Garcia. Often times, the highlight of their day.

"If game one went to Triple Overtime, I can't wait to see what game two has in store for us. This is so much fun!"

"So what time did you get to sleep?" Reid asked. "Or have you slept?"

"I slept. A bit. Game ended roughly midnight Central Time. So after 1:00 here. I'm so tired I can't see straight! But hot damn that was an awesome game! It was so intense!"

"Sounds like it. I can't wait to sit down and watch it with Jack."

"It was epic, Hotch. I'm telling you! That last goal, man... just... wow!"

"It takes a lot to impress Derek Morgan on the ice hockey rink," JJ said. "Game two should be interesting."

"And a lot of fun," Derek agreed. "But I hope game two doesn't go into triple overtime. I don't think I could handle it. I've got to get some sleep this week!"

They all chuckled before Hotch spoke up again. "Okay guys. We need to get a little work done today."

"We're on it, bossman."

They all went back to their work, as Derek fought to stay awake during the busy day, with visions of Stanley Cups dancing in his head.

* * *

_06/13/2013_

_*Game information taken from last night's telecast on NBC. No copyright infringement intended._


	165. Day 165: It's A Date

**A/N: I gained a few more new followers this week. Welcome to the madness, newbies! *waves* I hope you enjoy the ride!**

**And now... a sappy love story!**

* * *

**365: Day 165**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Jr.**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**It's A Date**

Work was done for the week. Penelope Garcia was entertaining her Godson for the weekend. And Jennifer Jareau was dressed to kill in a knee length black sleeveless dress, cut to fit just right hugging all the right places, black heels, her favorite jewelry, and a touch of perfume.

Why?

Because Jennifer Jareau had a date. With her handsome husband.

And she couldn't wait.

He'd texted her at work this Friday morning...

_You're beautiful. _

Then again just after the team's 10:00am briefing...

_I missed you this week._

This time he'd been the one stuck on a case. And even though it was local, he and several other DCPD Detectives stayed at the station for 72 hours straight, catching naps and fast food when they could, spending every waking hour going over reports and interviewing witnesses and running surveillance until their perpetrator was finally captured.

He sent her another message during her lunch hour...

_Would you do me the honor of allowing me to wine and dine you this evening?_

Which prompted her to immediately seek out Garcia and ask if she wanted to keep Henry for the weekend.

And then he texted her that afternoon...

_I'll pick you up at 7, like a proper date. We haven't had one of those in a long time._

And one last time just before 5pm...

_I'll see you soon, my beautiful bride. I love you._

And so yes, Jennifer Jareau was dressed to the nines awaiting her Prince Charming. He did not keep her waiting long. Just before 7:00pm the doorbell rang. Standing at the door was her clean-shaven husband in the same handsome black suit he'd worn on their wedding night. He'd showered, shaved, and changed clothes at the station. Beneath the black suit, his black shirt, offset by a red tie, made him look mysterious and daring - a major turn on. In his hand was a bouquet of roses, the brightest red she had ever seen.

They stood in wonder of each other a full minute, both struggling to catch their breath as they took in the sight of each other.

"Wow," Will breathed, finally finding his voice.

"Wow," JJ echoed in return, blue eyes sparkling. "You really clean up good."

"You are so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?"

"I'm the lucky one."

He remembered he had roses in his hand. He handed them to her like a nervous schoolboy on his first date. "These are for you."

She brought them up to her nose, inhaling their glorious scent. "They're exquisite."

"They don't even compare." He still hadn't taken his eyes off her. "Not even close."

Finally realizing they were still standing in the doorway, JJ stepped back and opened the door wide so he could come in. She went to the kitchen to put her flowers in a vase with water. Watching her walk away, his body began to react to her beautiful graceful figure. My God, did he adore her. More every day.

When she returned to the living room, setting the vase on the coffee table, he held out his hand to her. She took it and he twirled her around, causing her to giggle. He spun her into a strong embrace and they held each other close, making up for their lost 72 hours. She brushed her lips against his gently and sparks flew within them both. He rested his hand against her cheek and kissed her passionately. She let her fingers play in the hair at the base of his neck. When they finally parted, both recognized that familiar look in the others eyes - that flaming passion.

Will pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number with his other hand still firming ensconced in that of his wife.

"Woodmont Grill Bethesda. How may I help you this evening?"

"My name is Will LaMontagne. I have a reservation for two at 8:30 this evening. Unfortunately I have to cancel. Is there a chance you have an opening for tomorrow night?"

"Actually, we had a cancellation for tomorrow evening at 7:00pm. Would that work for you, sir?"

"Mmm-hmm," he pulled back from nuzzling JJ's neck. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

"My pleasure, sir."

He hung up the phone and dropped it onto the couch. "Now... where were we?"

"Right about here," JJ replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and resuming their fiery kiss.

Needless to say, it was an evening well spent.

* * *

_06/14/2013_


	166. Day 166: Do Over

**A/N: Hi peeps! Glad everyone enjoyed my little foray into the romantic. Let's see if JJ and Will ever got to have that date...**

* * *

**365: Day 166**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Will LaMontagne, Jr.**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Do Over**

Last night, Mr. and Mrs. William LaMontagne, Jr. skipped their dinner reservations and a promised date night out in exchange for rediscovering each other in the most loving intimate ways.

As the kids would say..."Time for a Do-Over!"

Tonight they were once again dressed to kill, this time both prepared for each other and not caught off guard by the hotness. A reservation awaited them at one of the finest restaurants - Woodmont Grill in Bethesda. Will hadn't told JJ where their reservation was, only that she would thoroughly enjoy her evening, and that shew as worth it.

When Will pulled into the valet station JJ gasped.

"Will. We can't afford this."

"Tonight we can. I told you, you're worth it. I love you, JJ."

"I know," she put her hand to his cheek. "You don't have to take me to fancy dinners to prove that to me."

He tilted his head to kiss her palm. "I know. But I'm going to anyway," he grinned mischievously. He offered her his arm. She placed her hand in the bend of his elbow and he escorted her into the restaurant. The Maitre D' greeted them and led the way to their waiting table. They each ordered a glass of red wine and perused the menu.

"Oh my goodness..."

"This all looks so good."

"I don't even know where to start."

"Might I suggest the spinach artichoke dip," the waiter said as he approached the table with their wine, hearing their conversation. "It's one of our most popular appetizers."

"That sounds delicious," JJ said and Will nodded in agreement.

"Excellent," the waiter smiled. "I'll put that in and return for your orders shortly."

When he returned, Will ordered the Hawaiian Ribeye and JJ the Roasted Prime Rib.

"Wonderful selections. You will not be disappointed," the waiter said. "If you need anything else, my name is Anthony. Please let me know if I can be of service." He nodded to them and left.

Will excused himself to the restroom. While he was gone, JJ took the time to call Garcia and check on Henry. When Will returned, JJ was hanging up the phone and giggling.

"How's our boy?"

"He's having a blast. And I was informed by Garcia that her place was currently a "No Mom Zone" and that included phone calls. She assured me that our son is indeed in one piece and having a good time. Why do I get the sense that he's coming home with a mohawk or blue hair or something?"

"You're the one who left his with Garcia unsupervised. He could probably rock the blue mohawk look. She's make sure he looked good."

"Oh hush!" she playfully slapped his arm and they both giggled.

When their food arrived, both of them gaped with wide eyes. They couldn't wait to dig in. Everything looked perfect. The steam was still rising off the meat. His baked potato and her mashed potatoes were loaded with all the good stuff: shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, butter, chives.

And when they took their first bites... heaven. Absolute heaven. Both of them moaned in delight.

No "to go" boxes were needed this night. They didn't leave a crumb.

"Oh my Lord, that was wonderful," JJ said. "How did you find out about this place?"

"One of our Lieutenants brings his wife here for their anniversary every year. He said the steaks were so good you'd never want to eat another one anywhere else. He was right about that."

"Absolutely. I need to give that man a hug next time I'm at the station," she teased.

"You can give that hug to me any day," Will replied with a laugh.

Date night, though pushed back a day, was a phenomenal success.

* * *

_06/15/2013_

_*Woodmont Grill actually exists in Bethesda, Maryland. As do the menu items described. And according to the restaurant reviews, it is worth the price. ($100+ for dinner for two.) As for the valet and maitre d', I made that up, though I wouldn't be surprised if they exist as well!_


	167. Day 167: Happy Father's Day

**A/N: Here in the United States, today (June 16) is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the great Dad's out there.**

* * *

**365: Day 167**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Happy Father's Day**

Jack Hotchner jumped onto his dad's bed at 7am hoping to catch his dad still sleeping so he could wake him. As usual, however, he was already awake. He caught his bouncy 7-year-old in his arms.

"Happy Father's Day, Daddy!"

"Thanks, buddy," he wrapped him up tight. "You know what makes Father's Day so awesome?"

"What?"

"Awesome kids like you!" And he immediately started tickling him. Jack squealed and tried to get away, but it was no use. Daddy had his boy trapped. They tickled and wrestled with each other for five minutes before Jack started seriously squirming.

"Daddy! Stop tickling me!" he laughed hard. "I gotta pee!"

Aaron laughed but let his boy up. Jack ran into his dad's bathroom and a few minutes later ran back out.

"Feel better?"

"Yep."

"Good. Want some breakfast?"

"Yeah!"

So the two Hotchner men went to the kitchen. They decided on pancakes and bacon for this special day. Aaron let Jack help put the batter ingredients in the bowl and let him stir while he got the bacon cooking and prepared the skillet. He poured six small pancakes onto the skillet and sent Jack into a giggle fit when he pulled out the chocolate chips and made smiley faces in the pancakes.

"Smiley-cakes!"

"You like that?"

"That's awesome, Dad!" That earned him a fist bump.

Once breakfast was ready, Aaron poured orange juice for Jack and coffee for himself and they sat down to eat. Halfway through, the phone rang.

"Morning, Aaron."

"Hey, Dave. What's up?"

"Just relaying a message. The presence of you and your son is required at the park at 1:00pm this afternoon."

"Do I get to know why?"

"Nope. Jack knows. That's enough. See you soon."

They ended the call and Aaron looked at his son. "So, we're going to the park this afternoon?"

"Yep," he answered around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Gonna tell me why?"

"Nope," he grinned mischievously.

"You've been spending too much time with Uncle Dave."

Jack laughed. Aaron just shook his head. They finished breakfast, got showered and dressed, watched a few cartoons, and a little after noon they began their walk to the park. The sky was partly cloudy, but the rain was not predicted to arrive until later that evening, so they took the chance with walking. Plus, it gave them more time to simply hang out with each other.

As they approached the park's parking lot, Aaron began to notice a few familiar cars. Then he saw a group of his favorite people gathered around a picnic table under a big oak tree. He looked down at Jack, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you have something to do with this?"

"Only a little. It was Aunt JJ's idea. I helped pick out the balloons."

"You did a great job." There were several balloons in light and dark blues and white, and a few special ones that said 'Happy Father's Day'.

He picked Jack up and put his on his shoulders, and they walked to the table. He was immediately greeted by hugs and handshakes and "Happy Father's Day" greetings. He put Jack down so he and Henry could run and play. He exchanged Father's Day greetings with Will and finally made his way to JJ."

"I heard this was all your doing."

"This is my way of saying thank you for Mother's Day." He'd benched her from their case Mother's Day weekend so she could spend it with her son. She'd told Will then that she had to find a way to return the favor.

Hotch nodded and smiled. "Thank you, JJ. This is really special."

"I told you, you're a great father Hotch. Everyone knows it." She turned her eyes to the two boys playing on the swings. "He especially knows it."

"I hope so."

"Oh, you certainly don't have to worry," she chuckled.

"Come on, people," Morgan hollered. "Let's eat!"

There were burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, fruit salad, chips and dips, and various drinks for the gang, all courtesy of the members of the team. There were cupcakes with little Father's Day decorations and ice cream for dessert. Jack and Henry both sat next to their dads, Henry in Will's lap, as this extended family celebrated them on their special day.

The smile on Aaron Hotchner's face stayed there for the rest of the day.

* * *

_06/16/2013_

_*I lost my father nearly 20 years ago. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him and miss him dearly. And I am beyond grateful for the nearly 15 years I had with him. So if you still have your dad, hug him a little tighter today. I love you, Dad. And I miss you. Happy Father's Day._


	168. Day 168: Serial Killer Vacation Day

**A/N: Thank you all for the kind reviews on the last chapter. You all are very sweet to me. It dawned on me that I haven't done a shout out in a while, so here ya go!**

**Special thanks to... Rockhotch31, Monkeywand, Cat Jenkins, Sand n' Sable, AlexandriaZ, Aqua Mage, Shelly Hoffer 7, Sophia0665, P95000, MidwestDreamer, Akasha Rose, Random Reader 17, JenTWCSINYFAN, AWChic, Annber03, Mummacass, Gemini-Victoria, Wotumba1, Jenntedisco, CeeCee333, Buka2000, Lexjl, Pechika, Rutland, BBHotblooded, Sdia75, CMCity, Doc Blu xx, Prettymind2, Tannerose5, TheMysteriousGeek2345, and Brummie10.**

* * *

**365: Day 168**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Serial Killer Vacation Day**

It was Monday morning and already the case files were piling up. Each team member had a minimum of five open files on their desks. Hotch had double - his own case files, plus the ones he needed to finalize to officially close cases they'd previously worked. And the files seemed to be multiplying. Every time one member turned his or her file over to Hotch, there seemed to be two more waiting in its place.

"Man," Derek dropped the latest file on his desk. "I've got to get out of this office." So he picked up his coffee mug and went for a walk.

He entered the bullpen to see JJ, Reid, and Blake buried under just as many files as he'd been moments ago. He could barely see Reid's desk at all. He looked up to the offices on the upper landing and saw Rossi stand and stretch his tired muscles.

Rossi caught sight of him and came out of his office. He walked past Hotch's office and saw him bent over the seemingly never ending stack of file folders that looked like the Leaning Tower of Pisa on the corner of his desk. He tapped on Hotch's door and stuck his head in.

"Take a break, Hotch."

He peered over the stack to the doorway. "Yeah. I could use some coffee."

He picked up his mug, and he and Dave went down the stairs together. Derek met them at the bottom.

"Can you believe all these files all came in today?" Derek asked. "This is insane."

"No kidding," Rossi answered.

"My eyes are starting to cross," JJ jumped into the conversation. "I feel like they're going to fall right out of my head."

"I can't feel my hand anymore," Blake added, rotating her wrist and stretching her fingers.

"Serial killers really need to take vacation days."

Hotch openly laughed - a sure sign of how mentally exhausted he was already.

"Seriously, Reid?" Morgan smirked.

"Yeah! Every profession has vacation time, serial killers should follow suit. Give us a chance to catch up."

"I don't think they want us to catch up, Reid," Hotch chuckled. "But it sure would be nice."

"Yeah," Rossi added. "A leave of absence would be even better."

JJ pointed at him. "Now you're talking."

Hotch looked at his empty coffee mug, then looked at his watch.

"Why don't we all take a break. Get an early lunch. Give ourselves a chance to regroup."

"Sounds good to me," Blake said, tossing her pen haphazardly on her grand pile o' files.

"Me too," said JJ, already pulling her purse out from her side drawer.

"I could use some real caffeine," Reid said, standing and pushing in his chair.

"Haven't you had, like, three cups of coffee already?" Blake eyed him.

"That's not read caffeine. That's wannabe caffeine."

They all giggled.

"I'm going to get Garcia. Meet you out front."

And so the BAU's number one team headed out to regroup for round two.

For now... Case Files 1 - BAU 0.

* * *

_06/17/2013_


	169. Day 169: Long Journeys

**A/N: Thanks again for the love! **

* * *

**365: Day 169**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Long Journeys**

The team settled into their seats for the long flight across the country to Washington state. Morgan's headphones were firmly in place. Reid and Blake sat across from each other, chess board in the middle. JJ was curled on the couch under a blanket catching up on lost sleep. Hotch and Rossi were sitting in the back of the jet across from each other in quiet conversation.

"You know, every once in a while it still surprises me that we're doing this job and traveling all over the country in our own jet."

Hotch chuckled. "Did you ever see this Unit growing into what it has?"

"Not at all." Rossi thought back to the early days of the BAU. For many years it was referred to as the BSU - Behavorial Sciences Unit. But before that, it was just a group of guys trying to find a way to stop the madness. "We were surprised when we got the okay to try behavioral profiling on a six month trial basis. If we didn't prove that the methodology was reliable and proficient, they were going to pull the plug."

"Lucky for us, you proved that it worked."

"That was a brutal six months. We barely slept. Barely ate. Everything we had went into proving that this could work. And we were on our own. Very few people within the Bureau believed it was possible to get ahead of these guys. I'm sure there was even a pool going to see how badly we would fail."

"Sounds like something we would do."

This time Rossi chuckled. "Some things never change."

"Thankfully, some things do. Seems like nowadays every Cadet wants to be a Profiler. It's the most popular Unit in the Bureau."

"I think it's because of the jet."

"I think you're right," Hotch laughed.

Rossi thought back once again to the early days. Days spent in seclusion with only the thoughts of madmen for company. Nights spent in dark dingy offices with bad coffee and psychology notes. And now, there were multiple teams of agents and they had the full force and power of the Bureau supporting them.

"I didn't know how this whole "team" thing was going to work. Had no idea how to function in it when I came back."

"Oh believe me, we noticed," Hotch teased.

"Hey, I learned. Rather quickly, I might add."

"Yeah. We taught the old dog some new tricks."

"I'd say I taught these young guns some new tricks, too."

"Definitely."

"We've definitely come a long way from our bunker, huh?"

"Yeah. And hopefully the BAU's better days are still ahead of us."

"I'll drink to that." Rossi held up his coffee mug.

"Cheers." Hotch did the same.

They chuckled and drank their coffee, exchanging more stories of the early days of their beloved BAU. The unit that had become a part of them. In many ways, it had become their lives.

Thankfully, they had a BAU family to share those moments.

* * *

_06/18/2013_


	170. Day 170: Feeling Nostalgic

**A/N: Thanks again for all the support and encouragement everyone!**

**This is a continuation of "Day 169: Long Journeys", and also mentions events from 7x22 "Profiling 101".**

* * *

**365: Day 170**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Feeling Nostalgic**

The team picked up two government SUV's and made their way from the airport to the Seattle field office. No need for directions or a GPS for now. Hotch knew the way. He'd remember this route forever. He'd traveled it many times.

The Seattle field office looked the same as it did the first time he'd returned here with his team after finally making it to the BAU. There had been familiar faces, familiar sounds and smells, a familiar layout of desks and offices. After graduating from the FBI Academy, he'd spent his first few years in this field office. This place would always be special.

Now there were still a few familiar faces, though not as many. The layout had changed slightly, but not much. The office was abuzz with young eager agents racing against the clock in their search for yet another monster.

Rossi couldn't help but notice the look in the Unit Chief's eye as he took in the scene before him. After their conversation on the jet, thoughts of the past were at the forefront of both their minds. He went over to Hotch and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Feeling a little old yet?"

Hotch glared at him out of the corner of his eye. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rossi snickered. "Okay, maybe not 'old'. How about nostalgic."

Hotch cracked a small smile. "Yeah. Definitely nostalgic."

"You know, Seattle holds a special place for me, too." Hotch turned to meet his eye as Rossi continued. "I found an impressive young agent here about 16 years ago. Smart, witty, inquisitive, studious. A perfect fit for an opening in the BAU."

Hotch smiled. "I'll never forget that night. Having a BAU Agent here was a big deal. Not many of us knew what to expect. You showing up at our crime scene straight from the airport instead of going to a hotel made a major statement. That's when I knew where I wanted to be."

"We'll have to drink a toast to this city when we solve this thing."

"Absolutely."

And with that little trip down memory lane, the BAU got down to business.

* * *

_06/19/2013_


	171. Day 171: Mentoring The Mentor

**A/N: Seriously y'all, I don't know how to express my gratitude at all the reviews. 2700+! WHAT?! Just... just... WOW! Thank you all so much!**

**And you may have noticed, I'm in a bit of a Hotch/Rossi mood right now. So this is another continuation of "Day 169: Long Journeys" and "Day 170: Feeling Nostalgic".**

**Also, thanks to a lovely PM from CursedLyfe, this idea popped into my head. I hope you like it!**

* * *

**365: Day 171**

**Characters: Mentoring The Mentor**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Mentoring the Mentor**

On day two of their case, the entire team felt like they were getting nowhere fast. They were tired. They were hungry. They were frustrated. After looking through what little evidence they had and reviewing case files over and over, they felt they were running in circles, chasing their tails like an agitated dog.

Finally, Hotch called an end to the workday and the team went for dinner and then to their hotel rooms. Throughout dinner, Rossi was unusually quiet. They could all tell something was eating at him, but they also knew that he didn't like to be pushed. Though he had opened up considerably since his first few years with this team, he was still intensely private at times.

They also knew that if he was to talk to anyone about what was bothering him, it would be Hotch.

Back at the hotel, sharing rooms again due to budget cuts, Hotch and Rossi were trying to unwind.

Hotch was taking a shower, letting the hot water and steam clear his head and relax his seemingly always tense muscles. This seemed to be the only way to calm his mind enough to sleep while on a case.

Rossi would usually lie in bed with whatever book he was reading on this trip. He'd lose himself in the story and the characters, putting his real world worries on the back burner for a little while. Tonight, however, he was pacing. This time he couldn't put the case away for the night. When Hotch came out of the bathroom dressed for bed, Rossi was still pacing. Finally, Hotch had to say something. He was getting worried.

"What's going on, Dave?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. Something about this case is familiar. I can't shake this feeling that I'm missing something big." He glanced at the briefcase on the desk containing the well-read case file. "I'm going to look at it again."

But before he could, Hotch put a hand on his arm.

"What was it you used to tell me all the time? _'Sometimes you have to step away from the case to truly see the big picture.'_" Dave couldn't help but hang his head as his old words to a young, ambitious Profiler were echoed back to him all these years later. "You're not going to solve this case tonight, Dave," Hotch said gently. "Get some rest. Come back to it with fresh eyes tomorrow. It will come to you, but working yourself into exhaustion isn't going to do anyone any good."

Rossi dropped his eyes and shook his head. "When did you get so smart?"

"I had a good teacher."

Rossi raised his head and finally met his eyes. "Thanks, Hotch."

"Any time. Get some rest."

"Yeah."

As Hotch got into one bed, Rossi changed his clothes and dug his book out of his bag. He put on his reading glasses and got into the other bed, propping a pillow against the headboard and settling in to read himself into relaxation.

Maybe tomorrow would be better.

* * *

_06/20/2013_


	172. Day 172: Checking Up

**A/N: Thanks again everyone! I'm glad you seem to be enjoying this little arc. At the request of MaryEllen1960, I will be continuing it for probably two more chapters. Maybe three. We'll see how it goes. Hope you like it!**

**Follow up to "Day 171: Mentoring The Mentor".**

**Sorry tonight's chapter is a bit late. The husband and I have been redoing our home offices. Tonight it was installing new curtain rods and curtains in his office, and beginning the assembly of a new desk in mine. We decided to call it a night when we realized it was pushing midnight! So yes, this one is about an hour late. My apologies! And because I'm running so late, this one is a shortie. Still, I hope you like it.**

* * *

**365: Day 172**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Checking Up**

As was custom when on the road, the team met in the hotel lobby for whatever breakfast was being served. Sometimes it was something as simple as cereal and pastries, and sometime it was the more extravagant breakfast buffet of eggs, sausage, biscuits and the like. This morning it was more like the latter. And there were pancakes and waffles involved. And not Eggo Waffles, either. We're talking pour the batter on a waffle iron and produce a waffle the size of your head type waffles.

Of which Derek Morgan was thoroughly enjoying. As was Spencer Reid.

Hotch and Rossi entered the breakfast area just as Morgan was getting his third waffle and Reid was heading for the bacon. They took a moment to look over the selections, then went their separate ways. Rossi went for the pancakes. Hotch went straight to the coffee. He poured a mug, leaving it black, and joined Morgan and Reid at the table.

"Are you not eating?" Reid asked as he spread strawberry jam over a fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuit.

"I will once I've had my coffee. I'm not awake yet."

Morgan, never one to beat around the bush, asked the burning question. "Is Rossi okay, Hotch? He seemed a little... off yesterday."

Hotch nodded, glancing back at his friend as he waited for his pancakes to cook.

"He's okay. This case is reminding him of something but he can't place it. It's making him feel like he's holding up the case by not knowing. We talked and he got some sleep last night, so he should be okay. If it's important to the case, it will come to him."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "It was just weird seeing him like that. I was getting worried."

"So was I," Reid added.

"He'll be fine. Just don't push him. Give him a little space to try to figure this out."

"I can go back through the case files, looking specifically for familiar signatures and methodologies. Maybe that will help."

"Good idea, Reid," Hotch said as he finished his first cup of coffee. "Maybe we can gain some ground on this today."

Hotch got up and went for a refill and breakfast, stopping next to Rossi, who now had three delicious looking pancakes and a few strips of bacon.

"That looked like an intense conversation for so early in the morning," he mentioned as Hotch approached.

"The children were worried about you."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I said that you were fine and not to push."

"Good boy."

"I try."

They both chuckled and Hotch patted Rossi's shoulder as he walked past him to the breakfast buffet. He loaded up a place with scrambled eggs, sausage, and hash browns. When he rejoined the table, there was laughter and some light teasing going on. And the girls had finally joined the group. All seemed well. Hopefully that was a sign of good things to come. For his team's sake.

* * *

_06/21/2013_


	173. Day 173: The Cluster Connection

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for all of the encouragement and support! Let's see if we can get this chapter in before midnight this time...**

**This is a continuation of Days 169 - 172. Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 173**

**Characters: David Rossi, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Cluster Connection**

The team were all sitting around the table in the borrowed conference room in the Seattle field office. They'd been in Washington for three days now. And still, David Rossi could not put his finger on why certain aspects of this case seemed familiar. He tried to close off this distraction and focus on the details they had in front of them, but in the back of his mind he knew that finding this mysterious connection to the past was the key.

"Alright, let's go over everything from the beginning," Hotch said. "Starting with the first victim. Everything we know about her last few hours, her abduction and murder, and the discovery of the body. JJ, start a chart on the whiteboard. Maybe if we can visualize this, we'll find a link."

And so they did. They went through all 15 victims. They began to see patters in the victimology: All white females. All dark haired - either brunette or redheaded. All single business professionals between the ages of 35 and 40. There were patters in the methodology: Abductions after working late nights, missing for two days, bodies discovered in the early morning hours near downtown landmarks. Cause of death - strangulation.

Then something new emerged. After the third victim, bodies were discovered in pairs. Then after the ninth, they were discovered in groups of three. They were posed together in a cluster.

"Clusters..." Rossi murmured.

"What was that?" Hotch asked.

"They were found in clusters. That's the missing piece!" Rossi stated with certainty and got up, walking to the map of downtown Seattle that was marked with color-coded push pins signifying the abduction and discovery sites.

"What are you thinking, Rossi?" Morgan asked.

"Groups of two, then groups of three, all discovered around famous landmarks. Pacific Science Center, Asian History Museum, Space Needle. He's mimicking Ridgway. That's what I've been missing. Why it feels familiar."

"You think he's copying the Green River Killer?" Blake asked, speaking of Washington's infamous serial killer, Gary Ridgway, who was convicted of killing 48 women in the early 1980's. "His victims were all prostitutes. These women are all business professionals."

"Not copying. Paying homage. Our guy is a fan," Rossi went on to explain his reasoning. "He's killing a different type of victim for different reasons, but he's using similar techniques. Same cause of death as Ridgway's first victim. Leaving the bodies to be found in groups near landmarks. Ridgway liked to drive by the scenes to remember the kills. It gave him a high. I have no doubt this guy is doing the same thing. We need to look back at Ridgway. That's the connection. That's how we find him."

And so, with Garcia's help, they followed Rossi's suggestion and renewed their search.

Hotch went over to Rossi and put a hand on his shoulder. "Feel better?"

"Much," he sighed. "Now let's find this son of a bitch."

* * *

_06/22/2013_

_*Information on the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, was taken from the site dirjournal . com, from an article on America's Famous Serial Killers. No copyright infringement intended._


	174. Day 174: A Sigh of Relief

**A/N: Here is the final chapter to this Rossi arc. Thanks again everyone for all the feedback!**

* * *

**365: Day 174**

**Characters: David Rossi, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**A Sigh Of Relief**

Blue skies and sunshine greeted the Gulfstream 650 as it soared through the clouds on its way home, carrying six exhausted yet happy passengers.

After the realization that their Unsub was seemingly paying tribute to another famous Washington serial killer, they were able to formulate a plan. Each BAU agent teamed with two Seattle field agents. The six teams covered six different Seattle landmarks while officers from Seattle PD went into the business district conducting interviews and running surveillance to hopefully catch him in the act, although they were all fairly certain that he already had his next victim. In the end, it was Reid's team staking out the area surrounding Pike Place Market that made the capture. He did indeed have his victim, unfortunately. They caught him trying to dump the body at nearly 3:00am. The man didn't even put up a fight. He laid the body delicately on the ground and gave himself over to the FBI. As they took him away in handcuffs, he smiled the whole time.

"I'm going to meet Gary Ridgway," the man talked excitedly. "He's going to be so proud of my work."

"Good for you. Have fun on death row," one of the field agents said as they put him in the car while Reid informed his team that they had their guy in custody.

There were handshakes and thanks all around for a job well done, and by 10:00am the team were heading home.

Hotch poured two coffees and took them to his seat across from Rossi, putting one mug down in front of him.

"You were right," Hotch said, taking his seat. "There was an underlying connection we weren't seeing. I'm glad you listened to your gut."

"I just wish I had seen it sooner. Maybe we could have saved Alaina Mitchell."

"At least now he can't hurt anymore people. It could have been a lot worse."

"Yeah. I need to buy Reid a drink. Him spouting off all the statistics of the case is what jogged my memory. He just happened to use the word 'cluster'. That's what did it."

"Reid had a big night," he looked over at the young genius sound asleep on the couch, curled up with his arm under his head, and shoes off showing his mismatched socks.

Rossi chuckled at the sight. "No matter how old he gets, he still looks like a little kid when he sleeps."

"Yeah. Might not want to tell him that."

"Pretty sure he already knows."

"True."

They shared a laugh and looked around at the rest of the team. Morgan's headphones were firmly in place. JJ was on the phone with Will. Blake was working on her reports so she could get home to her husband and a home cooked meal.

"You know," Rossi said, "I don't think I ever told you how grateful I am to be a part of this team. I know it took me a while to get used to all this. Thanks for sticking with me and giving me time to adjust."

"You don't have to thank me, Dave," Hotch shook his head. "Did you really think I would give up the chance of working with you again? Or deprive them of the opportunity to learn from you the way I did? You were exactly what this team needed."

They raised their coffee mugs and made a toast.

"To the team."

"To the team."

And they made themselves comfortable for the journey home.

* * *

_06/23/2013_


	175. Day 175: Victory!

**A/N: You knew this was coming. One more hockey chapter for the end of the Stanley Cup Finals. That was one of the greatest series I've ever seen. Congrats to both teams on providing so much excitement!**

* * *

**365: Day 175**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Victory!**

Seventy-six seconds.

The Boston Bruins were seventy-six seconds away from forcing Game 7 in one of the most exciting Stanley Cup Finals series in recent memory.

Seventy-six seconds away from a huge win on home ice.

Seventy-six seconds.

And then Brian Bickell and Dave Bolland changed it all.

And Derek Morgan was as ecstatic as a kid on Christmas morning because his Chicago Blackhawks were standing at center ice hoisting the 35-pound Stanley Cup.

He'd run the gamut of emotions on this incredible night...

To start the night, he was excited to learn that Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, injured in Game 5, was well enough to play. He knew that news would spark his team. And they would need all the spark they could get against a fired up Bruins team who got good news of their own. Their alternate captain, Patrice Bergeron, also injured in Game 5, would play as well.

In the first period Boston looked to be in total control and Derek couldn't help but hang his head as Chris Kelly took a quick pass from Tyler Seguin to put the Bruins up 1-0. The Boston faithful jumped to their feet cheering and screaming so loudly that Derek couldn't hear the commentators on TV. From that point, an uphill battle stood before his beloved 'Hawks.

He, and Blackhawks fans everywhere, got a scare late in the first period when Andrew Shaw was hit in the face by a deflected puck and dropped to the ice. He was helped off the ice, bleeding from his face, but true to the toughness of hockey players he returned to the game in the second period sporting a set of stitches beside his right eye and another set a little lower along his cheekbone. Derek couldn't help but applaud in his living room. That was the true measure of sacrifice for your team.

Five minutes into the second period, Jonathan Toews gave Blackhawks Nation something to cheer about. Capitalizing on a rare mistake by Bruins defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara, Toews took the puck off the boards and soared to the goal, blasting a shot that snaked between the legs of Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask, tying the game.

"Yeah baby! That's how it's done!" Derek jumped to his feet and cheered, sending Clooney searching for a quieter place to sleep.

The remainder of the second period proved how evenly matched the two teams seemed to be. The action went back and forth for a solid fifteen minutes. Close calls, incredible saves, and near misses all around the net for both teams. A physical game all over the boards. Players seemed to spend more time on the ground or on the boards rather than on their skates. The action was so intense it kept Derek either sitting on the edge of his seat or pacing in front of the television. He couldn't even drink his beer and his nachos were getting cold! Every player on the ice looked exhausted as the horn blew, signaling an end to the second.

The third period threatened to give Derek a heart attack. Intense physical action from the opening whistle had him once again pacing the floor. Clooney, daring to come back into the living room, watched his owner from his doggie bed, head turning one way, then the other, as if he were watching a tennis match. At one point the dog even cocked his head to one side, giving Derek the impression that the dog thought he was crazy.

Clooney once again retreated to the bedroom when Milan Lucic took a pass from David Krejci and put it past Corey Crawford, giving Boston a 2-1 lead twelve minutes into the third period.

"Nooo! Come on! Stay on 'em, boys. Don't give 'em that!" Derek yelled at the TV despite knowing the players couldn't hear him no matter how badly he wished they could.

From that point it looked like Boston was well on their way to victory. Their defense was proving quite strong, finding ways to shut down a powerful Chicago offense. Luckily, Chicago was matching Boston's defense with great defense of their own. Chicago's offense wasn't getting many opportunities, but neither was Boston's.

"Come on, guys. Come on, guys," he chanted from the edge of his seat, knees bouncing anxiously, chin resting in his clasped hands. When the Stanley Cup was shown from the locker room area, being polished by its handlers, he had to look away from the screen. The tension was almost unbearable. Almost.

And then the Chicago Blackhawks stunned the hockey world.

In an attempt to get back into the game, Chicago pulled goaltender Corey Crawford off the ice in exchange for an extra attacker. And mere seconds later, with Boston's hometown fans on their feet cheering fanatically, Brian Bickell took a pass from Jonathan Toews and found the back of the net.

"Yeaaaaaah!" Derek lept off the couch fist pumping in the air. "Tie game! That's it! Let's take 'em to OT."

But overtime would not be needed, as just seventeen seconds later Derek Morgan was jumping up and down, arms in the air, screaming along with the Chicago fans scattered throughout TD Garden in Boston. Dave Bolland, on a little help from Michael Frolik and Johnny Oduya, found the open corner of the net, just to the right of Rask's stick hand, and put the Blackhawks on top permanently.

The Bruins gave a valiant effort, but in the end the Blackhawks were too much to handle. And on Boston's home ice, the Blackhawks huddled in celebration, jumping into each others arms, pouncing on their incredible goaltender, and raising their hands in victory.

The Chicago Blackhawks were the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions!

Morgan was already online ordering his championship t-shirt and hat when the messages started flooding his cell phone.

"CHAMPIONS!" - From his sisters.

"WOW! WHAT A GAME! Congrats!" - From JJ

"Apparently congratulations are in order." - From Reid

"Take tomorrow off. I know you'll have the hangover from hell. Enjoy the celebration." - From Hotch

He had to laugh at Hotch's text, but he was absolutely taking the gifted day off. Because he was ready to celebrate! Now that he was no longer stressing, he realized he hadn't eaten any of the snacks he'd prepared. Or drank the beer. To correct the terrible error, he pulled two beers out of the fridge and put the wings back in the oven to warm them back up. He ate some of the nachos and drank the first beer while he waited. He opened the second beer once the wings were done. And he looked back at the fridge. Plenty more where that came from!

He watched the on-ice celebration, then the locker room party, laughing as the team filled the top of the Stanley Cup with beer and champagne and took turns sipping from it. He held up his beer bottle, toasting the team as he drank along with them.

_'Victory!'_ he thought. _'We have VICTORY!'_

* * *

_06/24/2013_

_*All information from tonight's game taken from the telecast on NBC, and the game recap on the NHL website. No copyright infringement intended._


	176. Day 176: A Day of Rest

**A/N: Well, Rossi's had a tough few days. I think he could use a break, don't you?**

**Thanks again for all the kind words. I'm so glad you're all still enjoying this and I'm not boring you to tears yet!**

* * *

**365: Day 176**

**Characters: David Rossi**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**A Day Of Rest**

Having been away on their latest case for four days through the weekend, and working through all the paperwork on Monday, the team were granted Tuesday and Wednesday off. And David Rossi couldn't have been more grateful. This case had zapped him of all his energy, both physical and mental. And he was ready for a little R 'n R. He packed a bag for himself, and a smaller bag of necessities for his dog, and the two of them headed north to Little Creek.

When he stepped into his hunting hideaway he felt all the stress of the world fall away. In this place with only his dog for companionship he felt more at ease and relaxed than anywhere else. Mudgie had plenty of room to run and jump and play, which he still loved to do even in his advancing age. And Dave loved to watch him flop into the lake and chase ducks. It reminded him of the simple things in life that he so easily took for granted.

He dropped off the few groceries he'd brought in the kitchen and packed a few snacks and beverages in a small cooler, took his hunting rifle out of its locked case, and he and his dog headed for the lake. He sat on the wooden bench he'd had built near the small pier and opened a beer. He let the warm early afternoon sun wash over him, felt the breeze in his hair. He inhaled deeply, loving the fresh scent of the woods around him.

Though he had his rifle, he opted not to hunt. Instead he let Mudgie chase the wildlife to his little doggie heart's content. He bounded through the tall grass after rabbits, barked at birds in trees, and jumped off the end of the pier into the lake trying to catch a low flying duck. As he swam back to shore and shook out his fur, David laughed. For the first time in what felt like way too long, he genuinely laughed. His faithful dog laid near his seat in the sun after his romp, enjoying the warm sun and drying out while his human rubbed his belly.

From Mudgie's point of view, this was exactly what he and his human needed. His human had been away for too long. He didn't like it when he was gone that long. He missed him. But now he was back and they were spending time in his favorite place with the fun animals and the big water hole.

After a few hours of watching his dog frolic and rest, having another beer, and taking the time to simply relax and reflect on the job that was threatening to burn him out, Dave and Mudgie headed back indoors. He turned on the stereo and let Sinatra serenade him as he washed and chopped vegetables in preparation for dinner. Cooking was another wonderful stress reliever for him. Every day he gave thanks that both his mother and father were excellent cooks and taught their son well, even when he thought he was "too cool" for cooking. It was something he'd grown to love and appreciate. While he cooked, Mudgie opted for a nap on his favorite rug.

After dinner he opted for a glass of wine and Dean Martin. Despite the warm June weather, he started a fire in the fireplace. The sounds of the crackling wood and the warmth it emitted brought a perfect end to a perfect day. A day of no distractions, no phones, no paperwork, no destruction. A day of peace and tranquility. A day shared with his best pal, who currently had his head laying across his knee. Dave gently rubbed the dog's head behind his ears.

"We needed today, huh bud?"

Mudge answeres with a contented sigh and snuggled his head a little deeper into his human's lap.

That happy sigh said it all.

It was a good day.

* * *

_06/25/2013_


	177. Day 177: Channeling Sleep

**A/N: I have no idea what to say right now. You all have been so supportive, so encouraging, and you've brought this story to over 2800 reviews! I'm stunned, bewildered, shocked even. I don't have enough words to express my thanks to you all. You make my heart swell.**

* * *

**365: Day 177**

**Characters: Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Channeling Sleep**

Reid's plan for a gifted day off?

Sleep.

When he went to bed that night, he went past making sure to turn off his alarm clock. He unplugged it. He closed his bedroom curtains with a safety pin to prevent any of the harsh bright sunlight from penetrating into his room in the morning. Still not a fan of the dark, he did plug in a soft night light that emitted a very faint glow. Just enough for him to know he wasn't encased in complete darkness. He turned down the thermostat to make his apartment a little cooler than normal, and kept the ceiling fan going. He had a final cup of coffee. Then changed into his night clothes, snuggled deep into his covers, pulling them up to his nose and curling into a tight ball.

And as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out.

He slept a solid nine hours before his bladder woke him.

He stumbled to the bathroom, took care of business, stumbled back to bed, and out he went again.

Two hours later he woke hungry. He had a craving for bacon and eggs. So he got up once again and went to the kitchen. He made coffee, cooked an unhealthy amount of bacon, and scrambled two eggs. He sat down to eat, turning on the television only long enough to realize that there was nothing on worth watching. He turned it back off, put his dirty dishes and coffee mug in the sink.

He went into his living room where his chess set was waiting. He made three highly strategic moves in the game against himself. First black, then white, then black again. Then he shivered at the cool temperature in his apartment.

He rubbed his arms and went to the bathroom again, this time brushing his teeth. Then got back into his nice warm comfy bed. He put on his glasses and picked up the book on his bedside table. He slowed his reading on purpose so he could savor the story even though he'd read it countless times. Instead of taking ten minutes to read the book from cover to cover, he took an hour. He closed the book and returned it to his nightstand with care. He removed his glasses and returned them to the case that sat next to the book in front of the now blank alarm clock.

And he curled back into his comfy ball, contented smile on his face, and went back to sleep.

He slept through lunchtime.

He woke again and noticed the light trying to snake its way through his curtains was dimmer. It was after 5:00pm. He stood and stretched his muscles. Then decided now would be a good time for a shower. He cleaned himself up, brushed his teeth again, and shaved. Then called his favorite Chinese restaurant and ordered dinner. While he waited for his delivery he dug through is collection of Dr. Who DVD's and picked a season he hadn't watched in a while. Once his dinner had arrived, he divvied out a little bit of everything onto a plate and brought it to the couch in the living room, returning to his Dr. Who marathon.

He stayed awake for a while after that, watching four episodes and occasionally going back to his one-man chess game to make the next move. It wasn't long, however, until he could almost hear the call of his cozy nighttime retreat. He turned off the television and the coffee pot while sipping his final cup of coffee. He went to the bathroom one final time, brushing his teeth again and changing into a new set of nightclothes. Resigned to tomorrow morning's fate, he plugged in his clock and reset the time and the alarm. He took the safety pin off his curtains so the rising sun could help to wake him in the morning. He checked his nightlight to make sure it hadn't burned out. And once again he snuggled into his bed full of coziness and drifted off to sleep.

Tomorrow morning he would wake very well rested and ready for the chaos of the day.

* * *

_06/26/2013_


	178. Day 178: Well Rested

**A/N: Thanks again everyone! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I'll admit, I really want a day to sleep like that!**

**Now let's see how rested Spencer and Dave really are after their relaxing few days off. Short and sweet.**

* * *

**365: Day 178**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, David Rossi Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Well Rested**

Hotch was already in his office working on reports when he saw Dave step off the elevator. He met him at the top of the stairs and walked with him to the office next door.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," Dave said as he turned on the lights and put his briefcase beside his desk. "Much better."

"Good."

"I needed that little break, Aaron. I needed to get away."

"I know. Everybody did. I think we were all getting to the burnout point."

"I'm glad you got the director to sign off on it."

"Me, too. Did you go to Little Creek?"

"Yeah,"Dave sat in his office chair and booted up his computer while Hotch stood leaning against the desk. "Took Mudgie and had a nice, relaxing, peaceful weekend. It's always very calming to go up there. Leave the phone in the car and just... be."

"I've always thought it was quite a tranquil place."

"It definitely is."

"So, you're good?"

"Yeah," Dave nodded. "Ready to get back to work."

Hotch nodded and smiled, and finally went back to his own office.

Meanwhile, Reid was arriving in the bullpen. He walked with some vigor in his step, maybe even a bit of a swagger. Or as close to a swagger as Reid gets anyway. JJ saw him coming and smiled.

"You clean up good."

"Thank you."

"The circles under your eyes are nearly gone."

"Yeah, finally got more than three hours sleep. I slept like a cat last night."

"Slept like a cat?" JJ cocked her head to one side. "Don't you mean 'slept like a baby'?"

"JJ, you're a mom. You really think I'd be this rested if I woke up screaming and crying the way a lot of toddlers to? Cats have a tendency to sleep roughly 16 hours a day."

JJ's eyes widened. "You slept 16 hours?!"

"Off and on, yeah. Maybe more." He sat his messenger bag on his desk and remained standing, stretching his back and chest muscles. "That was some of the best sleep I've ever had."

"That sounds so nice," JJ sounded like she was a kid a Disney World. "I won't get to sleep like that for another 15 years probably."

"Henry and Will should have a 'dad' day. Maybe then you could get some rest."

"That sounds nice. One day. Maybe."

They shared a chuckle.

Hotch stepped out of his office, case files in hand, and made his way toward the conference room.

"Good to see everyone's well rested. Good thing." He held up the files. "This looks like an ugly one."

"I'll get Morgan and Garcia," JJ said as she rose from her chairl. "They're in her lair."

"Good. And hopefully Morgan has gotten over his post-celebratory hangover. "

"Since the game was three nights ago, I certainly hope so," JJ laughed, trying to picture the level of celebration going on in the Morgan household. Hotch laughed with her.

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough. Conference room as soon as you find them."

"Yes, sir."

And with that, a well rested BAU team was back at work.

* * *

_06/27/2013_


	179. Day 179: Father Figure

**A/N: *hugs and snuggles* You know, 'cause everyone could use a hug or a snuggle now and then. :)**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 179**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Father Figure**

Hotch was right. This case was an ugly one.

They arrived in Birmingham, Alabama in the early afternoon only to learn that another victim had been found while they were en route, and the only witness to the crime was a seven year old boy - the victim's only son.

Seven years old.

Jack's age.

Morgan could see Hotch's heart break as they were told about young De'Andre Brower and the horror he never should have seen. He knew Hotch was thinking about his own son and the horror's he'd witnessed and, unfortunately, still remembered in his short life. When Hotch and Haley first had Jack, they all watched the transformation in their boss whenever cases involving children were brought to them. Now, since Foyet, Hotch was fully protective when it came to these children. Fiercely so.

Morgan's own protective instincts kicked in when the young, terrified boy was brought to the station clinging to his mother's hand. Usually JJ would have been the perfect choice to join Hotch when interviewing the boy and his mother. Her maternal presence often had a calming effect on frightened children. But something about this boy told Derek he needed to be there. Maybe because he saw much of himself in him. Maybe because he, too, had witnessed his father's murder. Even if Hotch was going to do most of the talking, Morgan felt that he had to be there. He owed it to the children of mayhem to be there.

So the two alpha males of the team, who were well known for their abilities to intimidate and terrify hardened criminals went into the interview room to learn what they could from De'Andre and his mom.

Morgan watched as Hotch introduced them to Mrs. Brower and explained why they needed to question De'Andre. He asked her permission, and then De'Andre's permission to ask him some questions. Mrs. Brower agreed and De'Andre nervously nodded in understanding.

"There is a sketch artist standing outside listening in," Hotch told Mrs. Brower. "We know how afraid you and De'Andre must be. The last thing I want to do is frighten him more by bringing in anymore people, so he's going to wait outside and try to draw a composite sketch based on De'Andre's recollection of the suspect."

"Okay."

Then Hotch surprised Morgan again by dropping down to one knee so he could be at the boy's eye level. Held out his hand and the boy hesitantly shook it.

"You know, I have a little boy, too. You and he are the same age. A few years ago his mommy got hurt really bad, like your dad. And he was really brave and helped me get the bad guy. I bet you're just as brave as him. You look like you're a really brave boy. Do you think you can be brave for me and Mr. Derek for a few minutes?"

The boy looked up at his mother, who smiled down on him, rubbing her hand over his close cropped hair. He smiled back at her, and agreed.

Together, Hotch and Morgan were able to get the boy to tell them about the bad man who hurt his dad. He was a tall black man, darker and taller, but skinnier than Derek. He had never seen him before. He had long braided hair and marks on his arms.

"Marks?" questioned Derek. "Like tattoos? Like this?" He pulled up the sleeve of his t-shirt to show the boy the tattoo on his arm. But the boy shook his head. Not tattoos.

"They were puffy," De'Andre said. "It was gross."

"That sounds like brands," Hotch whispered to Derek, who nodded in agreement.

"Did the man say anything to your dad?" Derek gently asked.

"Yeah, but I couldn't hear him. I was hiding in the bushes. He looked really mad though."

"Were they arguing?"

"Uh-huh. They was pushing each other."

"Can you tell me what happened next?"

This was the hard part for the boy. He curled in on himself and began to cry. His mom put her arm around him and tried to console him as his grieving tears fell.

Hotch leaned forward and put his hand gently on the boy's shoulder.

"You're doing such a good job, buddy," he spoke quietly. "Your dad would be very proud of you right now. I bet he was your hero, wasn't he?"

The boy sniffled and nodded his head.

"You know what. I bet you were your dad's hero. You know how I know that?"

"How?" he sniffled again.

"Because my son is my hero. And he's a lot like you. Your dad would be so proud of you right now, De'Andre. We're all very proud of you. You did great."

Surprising to all of them in the room, the boy left his mother's arms, and hugged Hotch. Hotch was momentarily stunned, but recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around De'Andre.

"I'm so sorry, buddy. But I promise, we're going to find him. I promise."

There was a light tap at the door and Derek answered it. It was the sketch artist with his sketch of what he imagined the Unsub to look like given De'Andre's descriptions.

"De'Andre," Morgan knelt beside Hotch. "Do you know what a sketch artist is?"

"Uh-huh," he wiped his eyes. "They draw pictures of people."

"That's right. A sketch artist was listening when you told us what the man looked like and he drew us a picture. Do you think you can look at it and tell me if it looks like the man that hurt your dad?"

He looked at his mom and at Hotch, who rubbed his back. "You can do it, buddy. We're all right here with you."

So the boy took a look at the picture in Derek's hand.

"That's him," he looked Derek in the eye. "That's the man that hurt my daddy."

"Thank you, De'Andre."

Tears once again rolled down his face. Derek reached out with his thumb and brushed them away. "I'm so sorry you had to do that. But you really helped us out. We'll find him, like Mr. Aaron said. I promise."

"We'll be back in a few minutes, okay buddy?" Hotch told him. The boy nodded and went back to his mom while the two federal agents left the room.

Hotch and Morgan took the picture to JJ. "I want his man's face everywhere."

"Yes, sir."

She left in a hurry. Before rejoining the team, Morgan stopped Hotch.

"I hope if I ever have children, that I'm half the father you are, Hotch. I wish I'd had a father figure in my life like you growing up."

Hotch smiled. "If what I've seen over the years is any indication, you will be, Derek. You're a good man. You'll be a great father someday."

The two men clapped each other on the shoulder before rejoining their team.

The manhunt was on.

* * *

_06/28/2013_


	180. Day 180: Been There

**A/N: Can you guys believe it? We made it to DAY 180! Wooo-Hooo! I thank you all for sticking with me for so long and for taking a chance on this crazy notion that I could pull this off. You all are the reason we're still going strong. Sooo...**

**SATURDAY SHOUT OUT! - Rockhotch31, Monkeywand, Cat Jenkins, Sand 'n Sable, Sdia75, Mummacass, MaryEllen1960 (thanks for the messages!), BBHotblooded, Annber03, Pechika, CeeCee333 (what a small world!), Lexjl, Akasha Rose, P95000, MidwestDreamer, Tannerose5, Gemini-Victoria, AWChic, Wotumba1, CMCity, Shelly Hoffer 07, PrettyMind2, Rutland, Brummie10, Jerseybelle, Lena2502, JenTWCSINYFAN, CursedLyfe, and Daisy312 (welcome to the party!)**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! *hugs all around***

**At the request of a few people, this is a continuation of "Day 179: Father Figure"**

***more tissues - just in case***

* * *

**365: Day 180**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Been There**

After interviewing Mrs. Brower and her son, De'Andre, Hotch suggested that an officer drive them home and stay with them until they knew the boy was safe. Instead, Morgan volunteered.

"I know what this kid has been through, Hotch," he'd said. "I've been there. Let me." Hearing Morgan's case, he agreed.

So Morgan took one of the black SUV's and drove the Browers home. He circled the block to get a feel for the area, looking for suspicious vehicles or anything that felt out of place in the area. He pulled the SUV into the driveway of a small old house and they went inside. The house, likely built in the 1940's, Derek surmised, was showing it's age but was obviously taken care of. The lawn was mowed, bushes trimmed. The paint was peeling and cracking in areas, and the garage door didn't quite sit flush to the ground.

Derek noticed De'Andre staring at one of the bushes beside the stairs while his mother unlocked the front door.

"Is that the bush you hid behind?" Derek asked. The boy nodded.

"He likes to hide behind that bush and jump out at Devon when he comes home from work," Mrs. Brower - Katrina - said as she began to tear up. "Devon always loved that."

She opened the door and De'Andre ran inside to his room and closed the door. They could hear him crying from the other side. Katrina put her hand to her mouth and began to cry with him.

"How is my baby supposed to be okay after this? How is he supposed to get over seeing something like that."

"It takes time," Derek spoke softly and with care. "It takes patience. It takes a lot of love and support, which I know he already has. He has a very hard road ahead of him, but he'll make it through."

She wiped the tears from her face. "You sound like you're speaking from experience, Agent Morgan."

He nodded. "Unfortunately, I am."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Morgan called Hotch to check in, let him know they'd made it to the house, and to see if they had any new information (which they didn't.) And he used the time to give Katrina and De'Andre a few minutes to try to wrap their heads around what happened today. After his call he found Katrina sitting on the living room sofa holding a framed picture in her hands. It was her wedding picture. The bride and groom both looked elated as they hugged each other and smiled at the camera.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt him," she said as Derek entered the room. "He was a good man. Always looking out for the people in the neighborhood, especially the kids. I'm sure you noticed that this isn't really the best area of town to raise children in, but it's all we have."

She was right. This dark area of town was shady, the kind of place where you wouldn't feel comfortable outside alone at night. He could envision the drug dealers and gang bangers occupying the corners at night.

"Was he part of a Neighborhood Watch program or anything?"

"We don't technically have a Neighborhood Watch in this area. It's usually everyone looking out for everyone. Devon was usually the first one to call police if he saw dealers or thugs lingering too long.

That got the wheels turning in Derek's head. "Did he ever have any run-ins with the dealers or bangers out here? Confrontations or anything?"

"No. Not that I can think of."

Derek called Hotch again. "Hey. You might want to check and see if any police reports were filed relating to drugs or gang violence in this area. That may be where we find our shooter."

"I'll get Garcia on it. See if there's a connection."

"Thanks."

After ending the call he noticed Katrina looking longingly toward her son's door. They decided to go together to check on him.

De'Andre was curled on his left side on his bed, tear tracks evident on his face. His mother went to him and rubbed her hand gently over his head. Derek sat on the edge of his bed.

"De'Andre, can I tell you a story?" he asked. De'Andre sniffled and nodded, looking expectantly up at him.

"I grew up in Chicago, and my dad was a police officer there. And he was really great at it. One night when I was ten I went with him to the grocery store and someone came in with a gun and tried to rob it. And even though my dad wasn't working that night, he still tried to talk the man into not hurting anyone. He did his best, but in the end the bad man shot him and he died.

"That was very hard for me because my dad was my best friend. I have two older sisters, so he was the one who taught me all about "guy stuff". We did everything together, and just like that he was taken away from me. But I still had my mom and my sisters and we all leaned on each other and helped each other, just like you and your mom are going to need each other. There will be days when all you want to do is cry and pitch a fit and get angry because he was taken from you too soon. But you'll also remember all the good times you had, and how he made you laugh. Those are the memories that will help you through this. Both of you."

De'Andre sat up and hugged Dered as his mother rubbed gentle circles on his back.

"I've been there, kid," Morgan whispered. "And I promise, you're going to be okay."

* * *

06/29/2013


	181. Day 181: Caught

**A/N: This is for my Rockstar and her little buddy, Ben. Get well soon, pal.**

**This is a continuation of Days 179 and 180.**

* * *

**365: Day 181**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Caught**

Derek's tip panned out. Garcia ran Devon Brower's calls to police over the last six months and discovered that out of 22 calls, 13 were drug related. After that, she ran the calls of the two prior victims and discovered a similar pattern. The previous victims, 34 year old Marcus Patterson and 37 year old Damien Jackson, were both fathers in run down neighborhoods like Devon Brower. They were all striving to keep their streets clean for their children and the children of these neighborhoods. The violence in these areas was overwhelming and someone had to step up and say enough is enough. These three men decided to be that someone.

But in the drug trade, men like them were bad for business.

Now that they had a connection among the victims, the team dove into the incoming calls taken by the Birmingham Police Department since Devon Brower's murder. They were looking specifically for calls involving possible drug activity. After compiling a list they noticed that three calls had come from the same man - Quinton Spears.

Spears was a father of two living in a northern suburb of Birmingham. He worked two jobs to make ends meet for his family. They were struggling in a rough neighborhood, but like the Brower's, it was all they had. They wanted to move, but couldn't afford it. So Quinton tried to make the neighborhood the best it could be for his son and daughter.

Two of his calls to police described the same man: black male, tall, skinny, long braided hair.

The same description given to them by seven year old De'Andre Brower.

Spears was very likely this man's next target.

The team coordinated with Birmingham PD to set up surveillance and Morgan and Hotch went to speak to Mr. Spears. While they were talking in his living room, Mr. Spears went to the window every few minutes. A move that both agents could tell was a daily ritual. He was on constant guard.

"Son of a bitch," he said, shaking his head. "There he is. Right there. Always that same corner."

Morgan and Hotch went to the window as well to get a look at their suspect.

"Suspect is on the corner of 4th Avenue and 51st Street," Hotch called into his communication device. "Do you have a visual?"

"Copy," the voice of a BPD officer answered.

"We've got him too, Hotch," Blake's voice came through. "Do you want us to move in?"

"Not yet. Let's watch him for a while."

"Ready when you are."

They waited an hour before his first customer made an appearance. The man was clearly agitated. He had a piece of paper in his hand. It was a printout of the police sketch of the man wanted for Devon Brower's murder. When the two men began arguing and the situation was clearly escalating, Hotch gave the order. Three teams moved in and before the man could reach for the gun in the back waistband of his baggy jeans, he was in cuffs.

Once at the station they began processing the evidence. Ballistics proved that the gun taken from 25 year old Jamaal Johnson - street name Big Time - was a match for the one that killed Marcus Patterson, Damien Jackson, and Devon Brower. The amount of illegal drugs found on him were enough to put him away for a while. Add three murder charges and he'd soon be living under the jail.

When questioned about the three victims, his cold, careless response was, "It wasn't personal, man. It was a business decision. They was bad for business. You feel me?"

Morgan wanted to "feel" him... feel his face under his fist. Hotch's hand on his shoulder calmed his raging temper quickly.

"I think you have a phone call to make," he said.

"Nah," Morgan responded, calming down instantly at the thought of telling De'Andre Brower that his father's killer had been caught. "This needs to be done in person."

Hotch smiled.

* * *

_06/30/2013_

_*Morgan and De'Andre's conversation will happen tomorrow night. No worries!_


	182. Day 182: Good News

**A/N: Welcome to July! Thank you again to everyone for all the feedback! It is greatly appreciated. And to my new readers, welcome to the party! I hope you enjoy it.**

**A conclusion to the arc beginning at Day 179.**

* * *

**365: Day 182**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Good News**

Morgan left the police station and drove 10 miles to the home of Katrina Brower and her son, De'Andre. He parked on the street in front of the house, walked up the cracked pathway and knocked on the door.

"Agent Morgan," Mrs. Brower said with surprise. "Did something happen?"

"Yes ma'am. May I come in?"

"Of course." She stood aside and let him enter.

"Is De'Andre here? He'll want to hear this, too."

"I'll get him."

She went to her son's room with a feeling of hope for the first time since her husband's murder. The two returned to the living room with De'Andre running ahead of his mom.

"Hey Mr. Derek!"

"Hey kid. How you doing?"

"I'm okay."

"That's good to hear."

"Can I get you anything to drink, Agent Morgan?" Katrina asked, anxious to hear what the agent had to say.

"No, thank you," he answered. Katrina got herself a glass of water and the three of them sat on the couch.

"I wanted to let you know we've made an arrest in your husband's case."

Katrina gasped. "You found him? Already?"

"Really?" De'Andre lit up. "You got the bad guy?"

"Yeah, little man. We got him."

"Who was he?" Katrina had to know.

"A dealer named Jamaal Johnson. His street name is Big Time. After you told me about Devon trying to keep the neighborhood clean, our technical analyst did some searching. She found out that the two prior victims were in the same situation, calling the police almost weekly about dealers on the streets. We checked incoming calls to Birmingham PD and found another man also calling repeatedly about dealers, so we went to see him and set up surveillance. And an hour later Johnson showed up. He was the exact match for the description that De'Andre gave us."

The boy looked up at his mother and smiled big. She put her arm around him and held him close. "You did so good, baby boy."

"That's right, De'Andre. You did great. You gave us exactly what we needed to find the bad guy who hurt your dad. And you know what?"

"What?" The boy looked excited.

"Because of you, that man can't hurt anyone else anymore. You helped do exactly what your dad always tried to do. You made the neighborhood a little safer."

"I did?" His eyes got wider and wider.

"Yes, sir, you did. You did a great job."

Katrina couldn't help but let her tears flow as she hugged her son. "I am so proud of you. So proud. And your daddy would be proud of you, too. You always remember that, okay. Always remember."

"I will, Mama."

"I should get back to the station, but I wanted to let you know in person."

Derek stood as Katrina escorted him to the door. Before he could leave, De'Andre ran to him and hugged him fiercely.

"Thanks, Mr. Derek."

"You're welcome, little man."

As Derek returned to his SUV, the Browers watched him drive away, De'Andre waving the whole time. As the SUV turned the corner and went out of sight, De'Andre turned to his mom.

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I know what I want to be when I grow up."

"You do?"

"Yep."

"What's that?"

"A cop."

* * *

_07/01/2013_


	183. Day 183: Fly Away Home

**A/N: And we've officially made it to the half way point! Thank you guys so much for sticking with me through this. I hope you continue to enjoy!**

**This is a short wrap up to the previous arc.**

* * *

**365: Day 183**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Fly Away Home**

The team settled into their seats for the two hour flight back home from Birmingham, AL. This time, however, instead of taking the seat across from Rossi, Hotch took the seat across from Morgan. It's not uncommon during their cases for Hotch and Morgan to butt heads. This case was the exception. They'd seen a side of each other that both men tend to keep closely guarded. And it had bonded them. But they'd been so focused on the case they hadn't been able to talk about it until now.

"You did excellent work on this case, Derek. I know it must have brought back some painful memories for you. But you were right. You were able to relate to De'Andre. You understood him."

"Yeah, I did. All too well. But I guess it's like they say, the best thing you can do with your past is learn from it. And if reliving that hell for a little while helps that little boy sleep at night knowing he's safe, then it's worth it."

"It is."

Derek shook his head sadly. "That kid lost his hero this week."

"Yes he did. But he gained one as well."

"What do you mean?"

"You, Derek. De'Andre Brower is going to remember what you did for him and his family for the rest of his life. You gave him someone else to believe in. He's not going to forget that."

Derek fell silent, contemplating the events of the past few days and what they could have meant to seven year old De'Andre Brower. Seeing that Derek was lost in thought, Hotch stood to take his usual seat with Rossi. He stopped at Derek's side for a moment, placing a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"For the record," he began, "I've seen how well you respond to children. First with Ellie Spicer and now with De'Andre. And I've seen you with Jack and Henry. One day, a child is going to be very lucky to call you 'Dad'. And when that day comes, you'll do just fine."

With that, he went to join Rossi, leaving Derek to his thoughts. When he looked back, he saw a hint of a smile on Morgan's face. And he smiled in return.

* * *

_07/02/2013_


	184. Day 184: In Dreams

**A/N: This one is for my pal Ahmose Inarus, and her muse. Play nice, you two! ;) This is a bit of a tribute to an ongoing saga she's written that happens to be some of my absolute favorite pieces of fanfiction EVER! *More about that at the end.**

**Major disclaimers for all things Star Wars related. No, I am not George Lucas.**

**Thanks to Ahmose for the inspiration.**

* * *

**365: Day 184**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**In Dreams**

Spencer Reid stood in front of the large window overlooking the city and the citizens he'd sworn to protect, gazing out on what would appear as absolute chaos to the untrained eye. But to him, everything was in its place as it should be. The planet city of Coruscant was bustling as always. Speeders and starships came and went through the starports. Smoke rose from manufacturing plants. He could feel the energy of the undercity. And overlooking it all, a great temple.

This is where Jedi Knight Spencer Reid stood, in the temple's council chambers, his long brown robe billowing around his lithe frame, light saber clipped to his utility belt. In this room he was completely at peace. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander through his memories of this place that he now called home.

He remembered when Jedi Master Jason Gideon had brought him back here after they'd spent years away during his training. He remembered how his friends, all no longer Padawans, but Knights, welcomed him back with open arms. Hotchner, Morgan, Greenaway, Jareau, Garcia. He remembered Jedi Masters Rossi and Gideon getting reacquainted after many years apart. He remembered being nervous when brought before the Masters that sat on the Jedi Council. Masters Erin Strauss and Max Ryan were especially intimidating.

He thought of the countless hours he'd spent with his team on their ship, The BAU, piloted by Jordan Todd, flying across the galaxy stopping criminals and bringing peace and justice to those who deserved it.

He remembered the comings and goings of friends. Elle Greenaway. Emily Prentiss. Ashley Seaver. Alex Blake.

He remembered the Sith Lords and their Dark Jedi minions that tried to tear them all apart piece by piece. George Foyet. Ian Doyle. Carl Buford. Tobias Hankel. Just to name a few.

He remembered the elation of them all, especially Rossi, when Hotchner was promoted from Knight to Master.

Mostly, he remembered how this team - this family - stuck together. Through hellish fights, life threatening injuries, the highest victories and harshest defeats, they stood by each other through thick and thin.

He was brought from his thoughts when his team and several members of the Jedi Council entered the chamber. As the Council took their seats, Jedi Master Aaron Hotchner was the first to step forward. He bowed as was customary, then asked, "What have we got?"

* * *

The buzzing of his alarm clock drug him away from the fantasy land of Jedi Knights and back to the land of getting up way too early to chase monsters. Monsters even more dangerous than Sith Lords, with weapons just as devastating as blazing red light sabers.

He looked at the collection of Star Wars novels stacked haphazardly on his bedside table.

"I've got to be more careful about what I read before going to sleep," he said to himself, while contemplating wearing his brown trench coat to work as a symbolic tribute to the Jedi Order. Being July, however, he quickly dismissed the notion. Instead, he opted for Star Wars socks - one "Jedi" themed with Yoda, Luke Skywalker, and an X-Wing Fighter, and the other Sith themed with Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and a Tie Fighter. His morning coffee went into his "Empire Strikes Back" travel mug. He hooked a miniature green light saber penlight to the ring on the strap of his messenger bag.

Now he was ready to face the day. He could almost hear the Star Wars Main Title Theme playing in his head as he headed to work, where his own elite team was waiting for him.

* * *

_07/03/2013_

_*Okay, so Ahmose Inarus has written a Star Wars/CM crossover entitled "Knights of the Old Republic". In typical Star Wars fashion, it is a trilogy. Parts one and two have already been posted. And they're EPICALLY AWESOME! If you love Star Wars and CM (and a little Hotch/Reid slash) please go check out these stories. They're amazing! _

_Some of the scenarios from Reid's dream here correlate to her stories._

_Ahmose - Your creativity is an inspiration. I'm glad to call you friend._


	185. Day 185: Independence Day

**A/N: Happy Independence Day my fellow Americans! I hope you've all had a happy and safe 4th of July. And while we celebrate, let us remember those who fell to give us the freedom we have today.**

* * *

**365: Day 185**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Independence Day**

The team and their respective families gathered together at David Rossi's home around 4:00pm on the 4th of July in celebration of Independence Day. They had plans for a large dinner, lots of dessert, fun, games, fireworks, and general relaxation. Hotch and Jack were the first to arrive with the chicken and hot dogs for the grill. JJ, Will, and Henry were next with two trays of brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Alex and James Blake were right behind them with potato salad. And arriving together were Morgan, Garcia, and Reid. Morgan provided the beer and the cooler. Garcia provided the vegetables and a tofu burger for herself, and Reid provided the soft drinks and dinner rolls. Rossi already had the BBQ pork in the crock pot and had the grill warming up and ready for action.

They all sat around the now familiar large round table set up in Rossi's backyard. Citronella candles were lit to keep the mosquitoes away. Rossi, Hotch, and Morgan took turns manning the grill. There were appetizers on the table to tide the hungry group over until dinner was ready. Cheese and vegetable trays with dips, chips and salsa, and rotel dip were thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Jack and Henry played in the yard, making up various games to keep themselves entertained and running off all the excess energy stored in their young bodies. Both Hotch and JJ were overjoyed that their boys played so well together and seemed to be forming a genuine friendship despite their three year age difference.

When dinner was ready, they all helped to set everything out onto a large serving table. The parents got their children settled at a table with hot dogs and chips and pickles. While JJ took care of Henry, Will made a plate for her. And Rossi took care of a plate for Hotch.

"Which do you want? Chicken, BBQ, or hot dogs?" Rossi asked

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

So Rossi threw on a little bit of everything. Morgan laughed at the exchange.

"What? Are you not eating at home or something?"

"I'm tired of mac & cheese," Hotch replied as he cut a little bit of his chicken off for Jack to try. "This is real food. I've looked forward to this for days."

"You and me both," Morgan agreed, raising his beer can in salute, and Hotch did the same. Morgan's plate was every bit as full as Hotch's.

The team and their counterparts shared humor-filled conversations, fun stories of gatherings past, as they devoured the deliciousness laid before them. Henry had a second hot dog and Jack wound up eating half his dad's chicken. Two growing boys were about to cause their parents' grocery bills to skyrocket in the coming years. Jack was already becoming a bottomless pit.

"You two better save room for ice cream," JJ told them.

"Ice cream! Ice cream!" they cheered and danced around their seats.

"You've awakened the monsters," Will teased. The others laughed and shook their heads.

Once dinner was done, they all pitched in to help clean up. They washed dishes, collected trash, and packed up the leftovers (what few there were) for the refrigerator.

Then the desserts came out along with the ice cream. And the boys cheered and applauded to the laughter of the crowd.

Later in the evening the team gathered in Rossi's living room in front of a 60-inch flatscreen HDTV to watch the fireworks display from Washington D.C.. Being servicemen and women of this great nation, the team stood for the playing of the National Anthem and remained standing for the Salute to Services medley - a medley which honored each branch of the US Armed Forces by playing its theme song. At the conclusion of The Marine Corps Hymn, Rossi hollered "OO-RAH!" which was echoed by the others. It was a special feeling to be standing in a room on Independence Day with a military veteran. One who could attest to the old saying, "Freedom isn't free."

They all sat and watched the magnificent display of color that illuminated the skies over our Nation's Capital. The soundtrack for the technicolor wonder was exactly what everyone had expected.

America the Beautiful

You're a Grand Ol' Flag

1812 Overture

God Bless The USA

America

The team all cheered and even choked up as the festivities came to a close. It was another beautiful tribute to a great nation and its strong-willed powerful people. It wasn't long, however, that two little boys were fading fast and losing their battle with the sandman. Lucky for all of them, Rossi had fixed up his guest rooms so they could all spend the night. He didn't want to risk any of them driving home knowing there would be a lot of people out celebrating, which would lead to a lot of drinking and driving. He wanted his team safe. And so they were, under his roof.

* * *

_07/04/2013_


	186. Day 186: No Rest For The Weary

A/N: I gained a few new reviewers and a few new followers last night. Welcome to the madness, people! *waves* I hope you enjoy the party! Thanks again everyone for all the love.

* * *

365: Day 186

Characters: Team

Rating: K+

* * *

No Rest For The Weary

The team had all taken Dave up on his offer to stay at his place after their 4th of July party yesterday. As such, the beer and wine had flowed freely, as well as a cocktail or two. There were late night games and stories and more laughter than they'd experienced in far too long. Rossi was certain there would be hangovers in the morning.

Hotch was the first one up in the Rossi mansion that morning. Since he had Jack with him, he didn't have much to drink the night before, switching to tea from alcohol around 9:00pm. But he, like Rossi, knew how much the others had indulged on their holiday off. Especially knowing they had today off as well. So the first thing he did was start the coffee. Then he went in search of breakfast foods. He found bacon, sausage, eggs, peppers, onions, and ham. He decided to make omelets with a side of bacon and sausage. Judging by the amounts of the ingredients, he had enough here to feed his team and then maybe the Virginia National Guard.

The smell of fresh brewed coffee drew Dr. Reid from his slumber. The bed felt so good that he wanted to stay wrapped up in it forever. But in the end, coffee trumps everything this early in the morning.

Rossi was next.

"I see you've raided my cabinets"

"Not your cabinets," Hotch teased. "Just your fridge."

Rossi grunted and poured himself some coffee. He sat beside Reid, who looked to be lost in his coffee mug. Rossi wondered if he'd fallen back to sleep with his face hovered over the mug inhaling its rich aroma.

The LaMontagne's appeared next, with Henry still dozing on Will's shoulder.

"Morning," JJ said through a yawn.

"He still out?" Hotch motioned to Henry with his spatula.

"Yeah. He had a big day yesterday."

"Jack's still asleep too. You can lay him with him if you want."

"Sounds like a good idea."

While Will put Henry in bed with Jack, JJ poured them both the last of the coffee and started another pot brewing.

When the first two omelets finished cooking, he sat two plates in front of Reid and Rossi. "Bacon and sausage will be up shortly," he said as he started a second round of omelets for JJ and Will. Reid took one bite and moaned.

"Oh man, this is so good."

"Thank you. Breakfast is one meal I can cook well."

"I'll second that," Rossi said, diving into his own delicious breakfast.

Once JJ and Will had their omelets and the bacon and sausage were on the table, Hotch made one more round. "Anyone not up by the time this one is done can fend for themselves."

"I'll take over for our late snoozers," Rossi said.

Luckily for Morgan, he made it to the kitchen table just in time. "It smells wonderful in here."

Hotch sat a plate in front of him and took the seat opposite him. "You barely made it. I had thoughts of eating both of these by myself."

They enjoyed their breakfast while the others slept in. After letting their food settle a bit, Hotch and Morgan went for a run around Rossi's neighborhood. About three miles into their run, Hotch's phone rang. He paused to catch his breath before answering while Morgan jogged in place waiting for him.

"Hotchner... Yes, sir... I understand... That won't be necessary. They're all with me. I'll relay the information... Yes, sir. We'll see you soon."

Hotch sighed and hung his head as he pocketed that wretched device.

"Let me guess," Morgan said. "We've got a new case."

"You guess correctly. That was Director Fickler."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes." And the two men turned around and headed for Rossi's home to deliver the bad news. There would be no days to recover from the Independence day hangovers.

There would be no rest for the weary.

* * *

07/05/2013


	187. Day 187: Waking Up

**A/N: Hi again. *waves* 3000 reviews?! Seriously, people! I don't even know what to say, so I'm going to sit here dumbfounded like I've been for the past few minutes. You all certainly know how to put a smile on a girl's face! THANK YOU!  
**

* * *

**365: Day 187**

**Characters: Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Waking Up**

By the time Hotch and Morgan got back to Rossi's most of the gang was up. Jack and Henry were in front of the TV watching cartoons with a plate of bacon between them. The Blake's were enjoying omelets courtesy of Rossi. Reid was cleaning up the plates from earlier in the morning. JJ and Will were showering and getting dressed. Only Garcia was still asleep.

"Bad news, gang," Hotch said as he and Morgan entered the kitchen. "The director is calling us in."

Groans were heard throughout the house. Even from the two boys in the living room.

"Are you serious?" Rossi rolled his eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"What's that?" JJ asked, clearly only getting the tail end of the conversation.

"We're being called in," Morgan answered.

"Uhhhngh!" JJ groaned loudly, leaning back against her husband. "No fair!"

"No kidding," Hotch sighed, looking over his shoulder into the living room. "I'm sorry, buddy."

"I know," Jack sighed just like his father. "It's okay."

Morgan looked around, noticing one glaring missing piece.

"Where's Garcia?"

"Yeah... we decided to let you wake her up," Blake answered on behalf of everyone.

"Come on, now," Morgan chuckled. "You're not afraid of waking my Baby Girl, are ya?"

"Yes," JJ answered matter-of-factly. "Yes we are."

Morgan shook his head and went up the stairs to wake the beast. Garcia was still wrapped tightly in her blankets. Her hair was splayed everywhere. Her makeup, still on from the night before, was smearing around her eyes.

Morgan's movements into the room were just enough noise to awaken her slightly. Without opening her eyes, she motioned out, pointing her finger at _something_ near the door.

"If there is not a hot, half-naked man in front of that door I will be very disappointed."

So Morgan did the only thing he could think to do... he took off his shirt.

"Come on, Mama. You're the last one left. Time to wakey-wakey."

"Do not 'wakey-wakey' me, Derek Morgan. "I haven't had my morning coffee yet."

"Well, you're not going to get it sitting in here. Come on. Rossi's making omelets."

That peaked her interest. She loved a good omelet.

"Plus we have a new case," he continued. "The director called Hotch a few minutes ago."

"Aw man! No way!"

"Yes way. So come on. You don't want to miss out on Rossi's omelets. Although Hotch makes a really good one too."

"Wait," she paused halfway out of bed. "Hotch cooked?"

"Yeah. The first few rounds before our run. It was damn good too."

"I can't believe y'all let me miss that!"

"Maybe you'll get another chance to see it, Mama. For now though, get up. Let's go."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming."

She got up and dressed and headed for the kitchen. She knew they needed to get to the office, but there was no way she was missing out on a David Rossi breakfast. They'd get to the office soon enough.

* * *

_07/06/2013_


	188. Day 188: Circles

**A/N: A little note to my newest story followers... y'all are brave souls to jump into a story that's already 187 chapters long! I applaud you and I thank you for giving this one a shot! I hope you like what you see.**

**This chapter will be very short, as I've had a super busy four days and I'm exhausted. It's already past my bedtime!**

* * *

**365: Day 188**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Circles**

The team went through their usual routine: Case briefing in the conference room, check to make sure their go-bags contained everything they'd need for the trip, a few phone calls to babysitters and animal sitters to make sure everyone was taken care of, and a trip to the airstrip.

They loaded up the jet and sat in their usual places. They waited for the jet to reach its cruising altitude, then removed their seat belts and gathered to go over the case in more detail. They got a little bit of new information from Garcia. And then went back to their seats to rest before landing. Once the landed they would hit the ground running.

Blake looked across the aisle at JJ. "Do you ever feel like you're stuck in "Groundhog Day"?"

"Groundhog Day was in February," Reid interjected.

"Not the holiday, Spence," JJ corrected him. "The movie."

"Movie?"

"Yeah, with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Where he's stuck in a loop and repeating the same day over and over and over again," Blake described.

"Have you never seen it?" JJ looked at Reid, who looked perplexed.

"I've never even heard of it."

Blake and JJ looked at each other and shook their heads.

"We'll have to remedy that one day."

"Agreed."

"To answer your question," JJ said, "yes I feel like I'm stuck in Groundhog Day. Every time we get on this jet. It's like a never ending cycle. Round and round in circles."

"Yeah," Morgan jumped in. "I agree. Psycho killer kills, we brief the case, fly out, catch psycho killer, fly home, repeat."

"Yep."

"But it's not the same," Reid piped up again. "He repeats the same thing every day. Our cases are all different, the locations are different, the MO is different."

"Yeah, but _our_ pattern is the same no matter what the case is," Morgan replied. "I don't know about y'all, but I am long overdue for a real vacation."

A chorus of agreement surrounded him. Even Reid had to admit to that one. They were all dancing a little too close to the burnout flames. And they certainly couldn't allow that to happen.

* * *

_07/07/2013_


	189. Day 189: Internships

**A/N: This hug goes out to a very special friend. You know who you are. *HUGS***

**This chapters references episode 5x13, "Risky Business".**

* * *

**365: Day 189**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Internships**

Aaron Hotchner looked up at the knock on his office door.

"Come in."

Penelope Garcia entered, closing the door behind her. She looked a little nervous.

"Can I talk to you for a second, sir?"

"Of course," he motioned for her to take a seat in front of his desk. "What's on your mind?"

"I saw that the Bureau was bringing back their internship program."

"That's right."

"Do you know if they're offering any tech internships?"

"Maybe." He cocked his head to the side. "Why? Do you have someone in mind?"

She nodded. "Christopher Summers."

"That name is familiar." He furrowed his brow for a moment. "The Wyoming suicide case?"

"Yes, sir," she nodded. "I've kept in touch with him."

"Really?" He was surprised. She caught him off guard. "How is he?"

"He's doing well, going to college. He's an IT major. He should graduate next year."

"And you think he would be a good fit for the program?"

"I do. I think it would be huge for his confidence, his self esteem. It would be a great boost for him. And before you ask, I've already checked. He meets the age, class, and grade point average requirements of a Bureau internship. If they're offering a tech internship, I really want to offer it to him."

He couldn't help but smile at Garcia's enthusiasm for the young man who'd trusted her to help him when he needed it most. She was the only person he'd opened up to. He'd given her his pirate's earring to say 'goodbye' or maybe 'thank you' when he thought he was at the end of his rope. And it seemed only fitting that Garcia had kept an eye on him.

"I'm not sure if the program is offering a technical position or not, but I'll see what I can do."

She lit up with a big grin. "Thank you, sir!"

"I'll let you know what I find out."

"I appreciate that. Thank you, Hotch."

"You're welcome."

She gave a little victory squee and got up to leave. She made it to the door when he called out to her. She turned to face him again.

"That kid needed a friend, Garcia. It was good of you to check up on him."

"He just needed someone to believe in him." she stated, and smiled. "I do."

He smiled. She did too, as she walked out of his office and back to her lair.

* * *

_07/08/2013_


	190. Day 190: Thoughts of Memories

**A/N: This chapter has references to episode 5x01 "Nameless/Faceless".**

* * *

**365: Day 190**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Thoughts of Memories**

Aaron Hotchner sat at the back of the plane gazing out the window at the clouds. David Rossi could tell by looking at him that he was lost in deep thought. He went to the small kitchenette, poured a cup of coffee and a cup of hot tea, and brought them to the back of the jet. He sat the tea in front of Hotch and kept the coffee for himself. He sat across from him, facing him.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm just thinking about Jack."

"I thought so. You always do when our cases involve kids."

Hotch nodded, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"What is it?"

"I'm remembering how much of his childhood I missed."

"Hotch, don't do that to yourself."

"It's hard not to, Dave." He shook his head. "We get these cases and all I can think of is that these parents will never see their child again. Sometimes it takes me right back to when I was in the hospital after Foyet."

Dave closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He remembered all too well the hell Aaron went through that night. He still vividly remembered the single tear that fell from his friend's eye at the thought of his uncertain future without his son.

"When Haley and Jack left with Sam Kassmeyer and I had no idea if I would ever see him again," Hotch continued about one of the worst days of his life. "All I could think was I'd already missed so much of his life. The first time he crawled. His first steps. The first time he said 'dada'. I missed all of it. And I had no idea how much more I was about to miss. Five months. Five years. The rest of his life." He shook his head. "I've never felt so helpless in my entire life."

"That was a horrible time for all of us," Rossi agreed.

"I swore that if I ever got him back that I wasn't going to take him for granted again."

"You don't, Aaron. In all the time I've been back with this team I've never seen you take your son for granted. You love that little boy more than your own life. There's nothing you wouldn't do for him."

"I know. That's why leaving him gets a little harder every time."

"I know," he sighed. "But you're not abandoning him. He knows why you have to leave. He understands, Aaron."

"He does. But he shouldn't have to."

Rossi nodded in agreement. "No child should have to understand what we do. It's an unfortunate necessity of our profession. But let me tell you something about your son."

Hotch looked at him intently.

"As proud as you are of him, every single day as you like to say, he is just as proud of you. Because even though you have to leave him more often than you would like, he knows that you're helping people. You're not abandoning him. You're making the world safer for him. As young as he is, he knows how dangerous the world is out here. He knows that bad guys don't just lurk around dark corners, but they are out in the open among us. And he knows that his dad is doing everything he can to make the bad men go away."

Hotch turned his head back to the window processing everything Dave had said. He knew in his head that everything Dave said was true. But sometimes it was a little harder for his heart to accept that. A hand on his shoulder caused him to look up again.

"You're a wonderful father, Aaron. You always have been. And you always will be."

* * *

_07/09/2013_


	191. Day 191: Scenes From a Bar

**A/N: This is a bit of a follow up to last night's chapter. Enjoy! And thanks again to everyone who has followed and favorited this collection, and especially those who were thoughtful enough to review. All are greatly appreciated!**

* * *

**365: Day 191**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Scenes From a Bar**

Hotch, as usual, was the last to arrive at the hotel. He'd sent the others ahead to get some rest with the promise that he wasn't far behind. He and the Sheriff stayed behind to go over a few things for the morning and then the sheriff drove him to their hotel.

He was heading for the elevators when he noticed a familiar face sitting at the hotel bar. He changed course and went into the bar, pulling up a seat beside Jennifer Jareau.

He sat silently for a few minutes. She acknowledged him with with a half smile that didn't reach her eyes and went back to staring at her beer. It was still full. He could tell by the set of her shoulders and the clenched jaw that she was trying not to cry.

When the bartender came to him, he declined a drink and instead pushed JJ's untouched beer away from her.

"I told you years ago, it's okay if you lose it once in a while."

That was all she needed to release the tears she was so valiantly holding onto. She only let a few fall, but it was enough.

"These kids are killing me, Hotch."

"I know."

"He looked so much like Henry." She spoke of the 5 year old boy whose body was discovered just that morning. "It makes me want to put Henry in a protective bubble and never let him out."

"That's the hardest thing about being a parent. Knowing we can't protect them from everything. Especially after all we see."

"Yeah." She very quickly got control of her emotions in classic Jareau fashion.

"I had my moment on the jet yesterday. Dave managed to talk a little sense into me."

"I figured that's what that was," she said, remembering seeing the two men in deep conversation sitting at the back of the jet.

"You should call Henry. It will help."

"He's sound asleep by now. I'll call him in the morning. I just needed a few minutes away."

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I'll be find once we nail this guy."

"That makes two of us," he nodded. "We should get some rest. We've got an early start in the morning."

She nodded in agreement. She and Hotch both dropped a few dollars on the bar; her to pay for her untouched drink, and him to compensate the bartender for taking a seat at his bar but not having anything. They took the elevator to the third floor. They paused in front of their respective doors.

"We're going to get him, JJ."

"I know we are. He's not getting away with this."

And just like that, the tough as nails media liaison turned profiler was back on her game.

* * *

_07/10/2013_


	192. Day 192: Feeling Defeat

**A/N: Thank you again, everyone! And welcome to the party to my newest story followers and reviewers! **

**It's time for me to get a bit dark again. Just a little warning. You know me and my angstiness by now.**

***tissues here***

* * *

**365: Day 192**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Feeling Defeat**

The sheriff's office was eerily quiet. The team of FBI Agents, and the sheriff and two of his deputies had run out in a flurry about two hours ago after a very promising lead. They were hunting a child killer and had gotten a phone call about a suspicious van and what appeared to the caller to be a man carrying a body wrapped in loose plastic. This was their chance to finally capture the bastard.

The few officers still at the station all stood and watched the front entrance when their receptionist had told them the cars were pulling in. They all wanted to see the man in custody. They instead got an unexpected view.

They got to see something on the faces of the BAU Agents that very few ever saw...

Defeat.

The agents and officers (minus the sheriff) returned to the station, not with a suspect in custody, but with the news of another dead child.

They were too late.

They all filed into the station, not making eye contact with anyone, walking past the reception area and straight to their makeshift conference room. They entered the room and closed the door. Moments later the officers jumped when they heard a crash as Derek Morgan threw a glass into the wall in his anger. The outburst didn't even faze the other members of his team. They were all upset, angry, but they were all handling it differently.

Morgan was pacing the room, vibrating with anger.

Jareau was sitting at the table fighting her tears.

Reid was standing in front of the evidence board looking for any clue that would tell him where they'd gone wrong.

Blake was sitting next to JJ, hands buried in her hair.

Rossi sat at the table as well, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache.

Hotchner was standing at the window, staring out but not seeing anything but the crime scene and the boy they were too late to save.

Their positions barely changed over the next ten minutes, until the sheriff returned looking graver than he did when they'd left the crime scene. He went to the room and opened the door.

"Agent Hotchner."

Hotch turned, eyes looking bloodshot with unshed tears and fury.

"We have an ID on the body."

"Already?"

The sheriff nodded and looked away, swallowing the lump in his throat. Rossi noticed immediately.

"Sheriff, what is it?"

He sniffled. "Our medical examiner identified him as seven year old Michael Adams. She knows his family. He was a classmate of her son."

"Oh, God," Blake breathed. JJ stopped fighting her tears and let them fall. Morgan punched the wall. Reid sat down, dumbfounded. Rossi moved to stand beside the sheriff. Hotch hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, steeling himself for what was coming.

"Are you going to make the notification?" he asked.

The sheriff nodded. "Dr. Montez wants to come for the family."

Hotch nodded. "I'll go with you."

"Aaron..." Rossi started to interject, but he could tell by the look on Hotch's face that he felt this was something he had to do.

Hotch moved from the window to the door to follow the sheriff out. He paused in the doorway and looked back at his team. His face and eyes were hard as stone.

"Find this son of a bitch. Now."

As Hotch left with the sheriff, his team flipped the emotional switch, compartmentalizing what they could for another day, focusing all of their attention on where to take their investigation next.

Another child was not going to die on their watch.

* * *

_07/11/2013_


	193. Day 193: The Breaking Point

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for the kind words and the thoughtful reviews! They are greatly appreciated!**

***more tissues here* (I'm going to need to replenish my stash!)**

* * *

**365: Day 193**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Breaking Point**

A team of very somber BAU Agents boarded their Gulf Stream jet for the long ride home. The case was over. But there was no justice. Not really. Their killer wasn't behind bars where he should be. Instead he had taken his own life. They could take some solace in the fact that he could never hurt another child the way he had so many. And for those who believed, they could take pleasure in knowing he was burning in the fired of Hell for his unforgivable crimes. But those families would never have their day in court. They would never see real justice served. Suicide had been the easy way out. And now the families of the victims were left to try to figure out how to go on with their lives without their precious children by their sides.

The team looked like the walking dead. They'd barely slept in three days. Barely eaten. They're eyes were bloodshot, shoulders slumped. Exhaustion was written all over their faces. And they were guilt-ridden. They hadn't gotten the ending they'd wanted. And they all knew they'd question themselves in the upcoming weeks about the outcome of this case, and what more they could have done to ensure a better outcome.

The two parents on the team were most affected. From the moment the jet reached its cruising altitude JJ had been on the phone with Will and Henry. Hearing Henry's voice - happy, healthy, safe and sound - brought tears to her eyes. They were making plans to meet her at the airstrip. The only thing in the world she wanted was to have her own precious boy in her arms. She'd have that soon.

Hotch wasn't so lucky. Jack was spending the weekend with his grandparents, a trip that had been planned weeks ago. His cousins were visiting and he was very excited, so Jessica took him to be with them. He'd talked to him that morning, and like JJ, hearing his son's voice had provoked tears. He was glad Jack would be having fun with the other kids in the family that he rarely got to see. He needed that time to be his young, carefree self. Which meant Hotch would be going home to an empty apartment. Not what he wanted right now.

Rossi once again joined him at the back of the jet. For the most part he was quiet, offering his friend his silent support and simply being there just in case Hotch decided to open up. Eventually, albeit briefly, he did.

"The one thing I want most in the world right now, I can't have. There is one other thing I want that I think you can help me with."

"What's that?"

"I want to get drunk. Very, very drunk."

Rossi let the slightest hint of a smile grace his lips. "That I can definitely help with."

And so instead of Hotch going home, Rossi took him to his house and sat him on the couch with a glass and an open tumbler of scotch and let him have at it. Rossi decided to stay sober just in case anything were to happen, but he knew how badly his friend needed to get everything regarding this case out of his system. He needed to scream, cry, get angry, and everything in between. He just had to get it out.

He watched as Hotch emptied glass after glass. And contrary to what Dave expected, the more he drank, the quieter he got. He talked a little early on about how hard it was to do the notifications to the families. He talked a little about how angry he was that the Unsub had committed suicide, how it was just too easy and that he should have suffered a must darker fate. But on the whole, he simply drank, paused to think, and drank some more.

Until finally the shell began to crack. First Dave noticed the slight tremor in his hands, how the amber liquid in the glass seemed to vibrate in the glass. Then it was the very subtle change in his breathing, shallower and less controlled. And finally, the first tear fell. And Dave knew he'd reached the breaking point.

For the next hour he watched his friend's walls come crashing down as raw unfiltered emotion took over. Hotch buried his face in his hands, clinching his hair in his hands. His shoulders shook as the tears fell relentlessly. They fell for every child he and his team couldn't save. They fell for the grieving parents they would never be able to console. They fell for Henry. They fell for Jack.

Rossi moved to sit on the coffee table directly in front of Hotch and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He didn't speak, but still needed to convey to his friend that he wasn't alone. And silently encouraging him to let it out.

When Hotch stiffened, then got up and ran, Rossi chuckled and shook his head. He'd drank himself sick. He put the empty glass and tumbler in the sink to wash in the morning while keeping an ear out for Aaron's return from the restroom. When he did, he looked like a wreck. Messy hair sticking up in all directions, eyes red and bleary, loose crooked tie still in place around his neck. And his hand on his forehead.

"This was a terrible idea," he groaned. "Why didn't you talk me out of this?"

"Because you needed this more than anyone I know." Rossi said as he handed him three Advil and a glass of water. "Here, take these. And drink the whole glass. You'll thank me later."

He did as he was told and let Rossi show him to the guest room. "Get some rest, Hotch. Tomorrow's a new day."

"Thanks, Dave. For everything."

* * *

_07/12/2013_


	194. Day 194: Back To Work

**A/N: Thanks again everyone! You all make me smile with your kind words and thought provoking reviews. And a special note to RockinReid, babydragonXXX, SuzySorrowLess, and Narbvick... welcome to the party! I hope you enjoy your stay! And I appreciate you giving this story a chance when it was already over 190 chapters long. Thank you!**

* * *

**365: Day 194**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Team**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Back To Work**

Aaron Hotchner woke up just after 8:00am with a brain splitting headache. He groaned and closed his eyes tightly before attempting to sit up. Luckily, he was able to sit up without feeling nauseous. He quickly remembered why he didn't drink very often. The morning hangover was never worth it to him. But he had to get himself together. Even though it was Saturday, the team still had to go into the office and finish the paperwork to finalize that dreadful case. Before getting out of bed, he picked up his cell phone from the nightstand and sent a text to JJ.

Don't come in today. Stay with Henry. You can email me your reports and I'll take care of the rest. -AH

After sending the message, he slowly got up and stumbled to the restroom, then made his way downstairs. Rossi was already up and cooking breakfast. The smell of food woke his stomach up in a not-so-good way. He groaned from the doorway, getting Rossi's attention. Rossi took in his disheveled appearance and chuckled.

"How are you feeling?"

"I hate scotch."

"I would too if I drank like you did last night."

"Don't remind me. My head's doing a good enough job without your help."

He laughed as Hotch rubbed his forehead.

"Sit. Eat."

"I... don't think that's such a good idea," he eyed the plate of eggs and bacon warily, feeling the nausea again.

"I know, but eat anyway. You'll thank me later." As he'd said last night when handing him three Advil. He could only imagine how bad his headache would be if he hadn't taken it. So once again he trusted his best friend and sat down to eat. He ate slowly, pausing every so often to lay his throbbing head down on the table. He looked up once to see three more Advil on the table in front of him. He smiled and took them without question.

After finally finishing breakfast, he took a shower. Now feeling a little closer to human, Rossi drove them to work. Hotch wore his sunglasses throughout the drive, and kept them on as they entered the BAU. Rossi stifled a chuckle and shook his head. Morgan, Reid, and Blake were all in the bullpen when they arrived. They all watched as Hotch nodded in their direction, went up the stairs to his office and closed the door.

"He looks like hell." Morgan looked at Rossi with raised eyebrows. "Did Aaron Hotchner just walk into the BAU hungover?"

Rossi simply nodded.

"Wow," Reid said. "That's a first."

"That's unnerving," Blake added.

"What did you do to him?" Morgan looked at Rossi.

"I gave him an open tumbler of scotch and let him go to town."

"How much did he drink?"

"All of it."

"Damn," Blake shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to stand up for three days if I drank that much."

"I'm pretty sure I'd still be unconscious," Reid added.

"Lucky for us," Rossi said, "Aaron Hotchner is one tough son of a bitch."

"That he is," Morgan said as Rossi left the group and went to his office.

The three remaining agents all shared a glance at the office at the top of the stairs, then nodded to each other and got back to work. They knew how close Hotch had come to breaking. Seeing him back in the office, hangover notwithstanding, gave them all renewed hope. Despite the miserable outcome of their previous case, they would fight on.

* * *

_07/13/2013_


	195. Day 195 I Needed That

**A/N: Thank you once again everyone for the incredible response to last night's chapter. I'm glad you're still enjoying the ride!**

* * *

**365: Day 195**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jennifer Jareau**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**I Needed That**

Hotch was sitting at his desk, head down in a file, when JJ knocked on his door and entered.

"Hey," he said, looking up. "What's up?"

"Do you have a minute?"

"Of course. Sit down," he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. He put his pen down gave her his complete attention. JJ sat in the chair closest to the door and leaned back, crossing her legs.

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday."

"You don't have to thank me, JJ."

"I do. I really needed that time with Henry so much more than I realized. How do you always seem to know that?"

"I'm a parent," he shrugged. "I know exactly what you're feeling because I'm feeling the same thing. I know how badly I wanted to be with my son. I knew you were feeling it, too. I couldn't be with my son yesterday, but you could. I wasn't about to deny you that."

She shook her head and smiled. "It's amazing how someone so small can take all the weight of the world off your shoulders simply by smiling at you."

"Yeah. Our children have no idea the power they hold."

"That's probably a good thing," she chuckled.

"That's definitely a good thing," he agreed.

"Sooo..." she crossed her arms over her chest and smirked, "rumor has it someone came to work hungover yesterday."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said as his cheeks turned a slight pink and he averted his eyes. She couldn't hold back the laugh.

"Wearing your sunglasses in your office all day didn't help hide your little secret, Hotch."

"The lights were really bright yesterday."

"I bet they were," she laughed outright while he hung his head in defeat. "So who was it?"

"Who was what?"

"Who got you drunk? We both know you'd never drink alone, especially if yo had to drive at some point. So who was it?"

"David."

"Ah. So you got wasted on the good stuff. I hate I missed that."

"I wish I had missed it," he groaned, rubbing his forehead as he remembered yesterday's hangover from hell.

JJ laughed and shook her head.

"You can go now," he nodded toward the door. She got up, still laughing, and opened the door. She paused in the open doorway and looked back at him.

"Hotch?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks again."

"Anytime."

* * *

_07/14/2013_


	196. Day 196: Taking A Day

**A/N: I hope you are all having a good day! Thanks again for all the support! This one is short but sweet.**

* * *

**365: Day 196**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Taking A Day**

A little after 1:00pm, Aaron Hotchner left his office and walked down the corridor to Derek Morgan's. The door was open, but he knocked anyway. Morgan looked up to see Hotch standing there with his briefcase in his hand and suit jacket draped over his arm.

"Hey Hotch, what's up?"

"I'm taking the rest of the day off. Jessica and Jack got back in town late last night, so I'm going to pick him up."

Morgan smiled. He, as well as the rest of the team, knew how badly the man needed his son after their horrible case. He needed him two days ago... but better late than never.

"You should take tomorrow off, too."

"I am."

"Good for you. You guys need some time."

"Yes, we do. I'm ready to have my boy back."

"Yeah, I bet!" Morgan chuckled and Hotch smiled. "So what's the plan?"

He shook his head. "No plans this time. Just whatever happens to pop up. Tomorrow's his day, so whatever he wants."

"Sounds good to me, man. Enjoy it."

"I will. If you guys need me, call me."

"Yeah right. You know that's not gonna happen," Morgan smirked. "You know Rossi and I can handle whatever comes up. Just have fun with Jack."

"Thanks Derek. I'll see you Wednesday."

"See you then."

As Hotch left the office, Derek couldn't help but smile. Finally, his boss was taking time for himself.

It was about time.

* * *

_07/15/2013_


	197. Day 197: Jack's Day

**A/N: As many of you guessed, today is Hotch and Jack's chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**365: Day 197**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Jack's Day**

Jack Hotchner woke up early Tuesday morning. He got out of bed, stretched his little body, went to the bathroom, then peaked into his dad's room. But Dad was already up. And then he smelled it... his favorite breakfast. "Yes!" he pumped his fist and ran down the hallway to the kitchen.

Aaron was standing at the stove when Jack came running in. He put down the spatula as Jack barreled into his legs.

"Hey, buddy. Did you sleep well?"

"Yep! Are you making pancakes?"

"Yes, sir. Want to help me out?"

"Yeah!"

Aaron pulled a chair close to the counter so Jack could help without being too close to the stove. Jack's eyes lit up when he saw that his dad was making special pancakes.

"Chocolate chip pancakes!"

Aaron chuckled at Jack's enthusiasm and handed him a handful of chocolate chips. Jack quickly made smiley faces in the closest two pancakes. Once everything was ready, Aaron poured them both a glass of milk and they sat at the table.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

"Can we go to the zoo?"

"Sure."

"And the park?"

"Okay."

"And pizza?"

Aaron laughed. "Yes, we can do all of that. Whatever you want today Jack."

"Yes!"

They finished breakfast, got everything cleaned up, got showered and dressed, and headed out the door for their day of adventure.

At the zoo they started in the bird house where they saw all sorts of exotic birds with bright colors and big wings. Most were kept in specific areas, but the peacocks were walking around the grounds, their beautiful blue and green feathers standing up proudly. Jack giggled as he watched some other kids trying to get close to the peacocks and then run back to their parents when the peacocks came toward them.

After the birds was the reptile and amphibian house. Jack was fascinated by the iguanas and lizards and chameleons. He pointed out the various frogs with their different colors and spots. He was more nervous than fascinated by the snakes. He held Aaron's hand tightly as they walked by pythons and boas. A zoo employee stood near the exit of the reptile house with a 6-foot Burmese Python draped across her shoulders. She was letting all the patrons pet the snake, answering all of the kids' questions. Jack looked up at his dad apprehensively, chewing on his bottom lip.

"What do you think, Jack? Do you want to pet it?"

"I don't know."

"You don't have to, buddy. It's okay."

They walked slowly toward the exit. The zookeeper, noticing Jack's nervousness, backed away from the door a little to let him pass through. Surprising to Aaron, Jack stopped, looking up at the snake. The zookeeper knelt to his level, remaining back just in case.

"His name is Spot," she told him. "He's still a baby. Just a year old. Would you like to touch him? He's friendly."

Jack approached very slowly, still clutching Aaron's hand. She made sure to hold the snake's head away from Jack as he gently lifted his hand to pet Spot. He touched the snake for a grand total of about three seconds before pulling his hand back and pushing himself back into his father.

"You okay, buddy?" Aaron chuckled.

He nodded. "It feels funny."

"Do you want to pet him again?"

"No," he shook his head quickly. "That's okay."

"You're a brave little boy," Spot's handler said. "Spot says thanks."

"You're welcome, Spot," Jack said, waving bye as he and Aaron left the reptile house and went to hang out with some much cuter animals.

The bears.

They watched two polar bears swim around in their pool playing with a red ball. One swam near the viewing wall, diving under the water. Jack pressed himself near the glass to watch the bear swim around, then rise back to the surface. The other bear climbed out of the water onto the rocks and stretched out to sunbathe.

In the next section a grizzly bear slept under a tree, and in the next, a giant panda sat in a tree munching on a bamboo shoot.

"How did he get up there?" Jack asked quizzically.

"Pandas can climb trees. And you see how he's holding that bamboo shoot?"

"Yeah."

"They have this extra little claw right here," he pointed to Jack's wrist, "that acts like a thumb. It helps them pick things up and grip things like we do."

"Cool!"

Next they moved on to the pachyderms. They made their way through quickly, Jack holding his nose most of the time.

"Rhinos are stinky!"

Aaron couldn't help but laugh at his son. But he had to admit, the boy was right! They stopped to watch the elephants for a few moments, then moved on.

They stopped at a tall stand in the giraffe park to feed the giraffes. Jack and Aaron both laughed as the giraffe stuck out its long tongue and took the offered food.

"Eeewww!" they both said, wiping their hands on each others shirts.

Aaron put Jack on his shoulders as they went to visit the big cats. They weren't particularly active in the heat. Even so, Jack was enamored with the white Bengal tiger grazing through the grass.

"They didn't have the white tiger last time we were here, did they?" Aaron asked.

"No. He's really cool."

They watched the tigers for a while, then headed for the gift shop. Unsurprising to Aaron, Jack picked up a large stuffed snake with a big head, green spots, and sunglasses, a panda holding a bamboo shoot, and a white tiger. After paying, Aaron wrapped the snake around Jack's neck and torso, draping its big head over his shoulder, Jack laughing hysterically. Jack held the panda and Aaron held the tiger as they left the zoo and headed for Jack's favorite pizza place.

At the restaurant, they ordered their pizza and played in the arcade while they waited. Aaron won at skee-ball. Jack won at whack-a-mole. They took silly photos in the photo booth. Jack won a slew of tickets at the ticket tower. After 15 minutes in the arcade, their number was called. Aaron picked up the pizza at the counter and they picked a booth by the wall. While they ate, they talked about how much fun they had at the zoo, about Jack's friends at school, soccer, and superheroes.

Aaron looked up and noticed the rain beginning to fall.

"Uh-oh, buddy."

Jack looked up. "Aw man!"

"Hmmm..."

"What?"

"Game night?"

"Yeah! Game night!"

They boxed up their leftover pizza and ran to the car through the rain. They made a stop at the grocery store for ingredients for ice cream sundaes. When they got home, Jack pulled out several games. They played board games, card games, and Wii games. They had a dinner of leftover pizza and mac & cheese, and ice cream sundaes for dessert. And watched Aladdin before bed, with both of them imitating the Genie whenever possible.

And that night, Jack got to sleep with his dad. A fitting end to one of the best father-son days ever.

* * *

_07/16/2013_


	198. Day 198: Levels of Geekery

**A/N: Special thanks to Rockhotch31, ThursdayNext, and Ahmose Inarus for helping me out with ideas for tonight's chapter. Thanks ladies!**

* * *

**365: Day 198**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Levels of Geekery**

After a day of monotony, Alex Blake, Spencer Reid, and Penelope Garcia met at a local book store/coffee shop after work for an evening of relaxation. Alex took one step inside the door and froze.

"What is going on in here?" she asked wide-eyed. It looked like she'd stepped into an alternate world of sci-fi and fantasy characters. Some she recognized, most she did not. She looked back at Reid and Garcia. Both had looks of giddy excitement on their faces. And she knew immediately, she was in trouble.

"It's Comic Con Appreciation Night!" Reid exclaimed.

"I forgot all about it!" Garcia squealed.

"It's what?" Blake looked at them confused.

"Comic-Con Appreciation Night," Garcia said.

"What is that?"

"The biggest Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention in the States - Comic-Con - starts tomorrow in San Diego. Several book stores, comic shops, science fiction/fantasy stores pay tribute by having appreciation night the night before."

"Sooo... these are all characters from comic books?"

"Some, but not all. They're from comic books, novels, TV series, video games, movies," Reid explained. "Surely you recognize the Star Wars contingent buying coffee."

Sure enough, standing in line were Darth Vader, two Storm Troopers, and Emperor Palpatine. And at the snack counter were Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Chewbacca.

"Yes. Them I recognize." She looked around as they moved farther into the shop. "What's with all the people around the big blue phone booth?"

"Oh, my dear Sci-Fi deprived friend," Garcia put her arm around Blake's shoulder. "That is not a phone booth. It's a Tardis."

"What the heck is a Tardis?"

Garcia literally face-palmed and looked at Reid. "In all the years you have known the illustrious Dr. Alex Blake, how have you not introduced her to the fabulousness of Dr. Who?"

"I tried. Apparently it didn't take."

"So the Tardis booth is from Dr. Who," Blake pointed to the Tardis surrounded by several people. "Which one of them is Dr. Who?"

Garcia and Reid both started laughing. "His name isn't Dr. Who. It's just Doctor. And they're all the good Doctor. There are 11 of them, different ones throughout the years. He travels through time in the Tardis."

"The Tardis is a time machine." Reid and Garcia nodded. "And the R2D2-looking thing rolling around with them?"

"That's a Dalek. And extraterrestrial life form that exterminate other life forms in a quest for universal domination."

"Uh-huh," she nodded, not really having a clue what they were talking about. "Interesting."

They went to the counter and ordered coffees and various cookies. Garcia had their signature ginger molasses cookies, Blake stuck to basic chocolate chip, and Reid hit the brownies. Captain Kirk took their order, Captain Picard filled their coffees, and Captain Janeway pulled their cookies and brownies. Upon further examination, they realized every shop employee was dressed in a Starfleet uniform. There were members from the Original Series, The Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, even Enterprise. And there were a few Vulcans, Romulans, even a Borg or two.

They found a small table in a corner and sat down, both Garcia and Reid still in wonder, like children in front of Santa Claus. They took turns pointing out their favorite characters. Gandalf, Sauron, and Radagast entered, followed by Sherlock and Watson. Commander Shepard and Garrus of Mass Effect fame were browsing the Fantasy book aisle. A Night Elf and a Blood Elf were mingling with a group of Dwarves. And Reid was particularly enamored with the two Aes Sedai at a nearby table in their elegant flowing robes.

And then Garcia nearly had a fit when she noticed a group of nine standing together, laughing and talking, near the back of the shop.

"Reid! Look!" she gasped, gripping his arm. "Firefly!"

"Wow! The whole Serenity crew!"

"I'm just gonna nod and act like I have a clue what you're talking about."

"This is the greatest late-night coffee shop EVER!"

"Well... the coffee's good anyway."

"We have to come back here."

"Agreed!"

Reid and Garcia clinked coffee mugs and looked at Alex, waiting for her to join her mug with theirs.

"Well, what the hell," she said, adding her mug to the mix. They toasted the awesomeness and spent the rest of the evening pointing out various characters to Blake.

Tonight she was earning her geek card.

* * *

_07/17/2013_

_*Not sure if any book stores or comic shops actually do this, but it would be cool as crap if they did!_


	199. Day 199: Weird Nights and Days

**A/N: Thank you all once again! There aren't enough words to express my gratitude!**

**A short continuation of yesterday's chapter.**

* * *

**365: Day 199**

**Characters: Alex Blake, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Weird Nights and Days**

Alex Blake was in the breakroom getting coffee and preparing to start her day when David Rossi walked in.

"Morning."

"Want some coffee?" she held out the pot offering to fill his mug.

"Thank you." He added a bit of cream and picked up a stirrer. "How was your evening?"

She immediately started giggling. "Boy did I have a weird night."

"Do tell."

"I went out for coffee with Reid and Garcia. We stopped at this bookstore/coffee shop, and oh my God, I thought I'd stumbled into some sort of alternate reality."

"Let me guess," Rossi said, pausing to sip his coffee. "Cosplay."

Her face contorted into a state of confusion. "Cos-what?"

"Cosplay. It stands for costume play. A group of people dress up as their favorite characters and go out, do a little role-play, that sort of thing. Not surprising that they're out and about right now. Comic-Con starts today."

"Oh my God," she stood staring at him. "You're one of them. You're one of the crazy people."

He laughed hard. "Hate to disappoint, but no. I'm not a cosplayer. Although I did run into Garcia and Reid outside a convention two years ago. They were dressed in Dr. Who fashion."

"After watching them last night, that does not surprise me at all."

"So, who all did you see?"

"Well..." she looked up, trying to remember all the things Reid and Garcia tried to tell her last night. "I recognized the Star Wars and Star Trek characters. Dr. Who sounds familiar. Something about a blue phone booth."

"Tardis."

"Yeah," she pointed at him, "that. Let's see... there were some wizards, Sherlock Holmes, some aliens. And Garcia got really excited about some fireflies."

Rossi hung his head and couldn't contain his laughter. "You were so far out of your element, weren't you?"

"Oh yes. Far far far out of my element."

"Well, next time you want a crash course before hanging out with those two, you let me know. I can at least tell you that Firefly is a science fiction television show and not an insect."

"Right. I'll remember that."

He clinked coffee mugs with her. "May the Force be with you."

As he left, she could have sworn she heard him chuckle.

"I've stepped into the Twilight Zone." She shook her head and went back to her desk, searching for something that resembled reality.

* * *

_07/18/2013_


	200. Day 200: The Team

**A/N: We made it. Day 200! Can you guys believe it?! There aren't enough words to express how grateful I am to all of you who have taken the time to read this. This project never would have gotten off the ground without you - without your words of encouragement and support, the lengthy conversations some of us have had, the ideas you've helped me develop. This would have ended months ago without you. Soooo...**

**SHOUTOUT TIME! (Get comfy. This could take a while!)**

**Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Wotumba1, Brummie10, Sand 'n Sable, AlexandriaZ, Mummacass, Annber03, MidwestDreamer, P95000, Pechika, Jerseybelle, Sdia75, Akasha Rose, CeeCee333, SuzySorrowLess, Black Cobra, Bobbin Lace, Kickasscanadianmom, Tannerose5, Sharing-a-shell, AWChic, Prettymind2, CMCity, IthacaSnape, Doc Blu xx, BBhotblooded, Rutland, Random Reader 17, Titi25, RockinReid, LeahlovesJacob, Tinkerbell225, ml101, Lena2502, Jenntedisco, BabydragonXXX, Kairi the Strong, Lexjl, Shelly Hoffer 7, DebbieOz, Megustamigato, Gemini-Victoria, Daisy312, Sugarhigh9394, MaryEllen1960, Greysfan1234, Ahmose Inarus, and Falcon-121, and my guest reviewers, recent followers, and favoriters!**

**THANK YOU ALL!**

* * *

**365: Day 200**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Team**

Derek Morgan came strolling through the bullpen at ten minutes after five. He propped himself against Spencer Reid's desk.

"Man, I didn't think this day was ever going to end. I hate paperwork days."

Reid, buried in his own paperwork, gave a noncommittal grunt of acknowledgment.

"Come on, pretty boy, it's after five. Pens down. Test is over. Class dismissed."

"I'm almost done, Morgan. Give me a few minutes."

"Well, I don't know about you guys," Alex Blake said as she closed her final folder for the day, "but I could use a beer."

"Yes, ma'am," JJ agreed. "Will and Henry are doing "man things" so I'm free for the night."

"Man things?"

"I didn't ask."

"Wise decision."

"I'll go get Penelope," Morgan said. "One of you guys can get Mom and Dad. Meet you in the lobby."

"Sounds good," JJ said. "I've got these two." And she headed for the stairs leading to Rossi's office. She knocked on his closed door and waited.

"Come in."

"Hey Rossi," she leaned into his doorway. "We're all going for a beer. Come on."

"What time is it?"

"It's already after 5:00. Come on."

He looked up, surprised at the late hour. "Wow. This day got away from me."

"Yeah. Come on."

"What's got you in such a hurry?" he chuckled.

"I'm a free woman tonight. I get to do grown-up things and drink grown-up drinks and have grown-up conversations! So come on!" She made a sweeping circular motion with her arm and pointed out the door. "And grab the guy next door while you're at it."

"Yes, ma'am," he bowed his head, knowing full well that Jennifer Jareau is not one to be crossed. Returning his bow, she went back downstairs. He packed up for the night and headed out of his office, noticing that JJ, Blake, and Reid were standing at their desks waiting (not-so) patiently on the two "old guys" to get their evening started. He went next door and knocked on Hotch's door.

"Come in." So he did.

"Time to go, Hotch."

"Really?"

"Yep. We've been summoned by her majesty, Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, to come down at once."

Hotch cocked an eyebrow up and stared at Rossi. "Her majesty?"

"Well, you know how she gets when she's determined to have her way."

"Very true."

"Do you really want her coming up here and dragging you down the stairs."

"That would be rather embarrassing. I think I'll walk." He looked at the ridiculously tall stack of files leaning haphazardly on top of his desk. "They can wait until Monday."

"Atta boy."

Hotch shut down his computer, grabbed his jacket and briefcase, and he and Rossi met the others at the bottom of the staircase.

"Where are Morgan and Garcia?"

"Morgan's getting her. We're going to meet them in the lobby."

And so off they went to gather the rest of their teammates and head for JJ's favorite bar. As she and Garcia liked to call it, "The FBI Brad bar!" They entered and found a large table in the corner unoccupied. They took the opportunity to tell Blake the FBI Brad story while the waiter was taking drink orders. It didn't take ten minutes for Blake to resort to a fit of giggles. JJ and Garcia high fived across the table.

"That story never gets old," Morgan interjected.

"That poor fool," Rossi simply shook his head.

"I ordered beers for the first round. That okay?"

"Fine."

Soon after their beers had arrived. Something dark for Hotch, more of an amber for JJ and Blake, the one with the umbrella and the slice of lime sticking out of the bottle went to Garcia. Morgan and Reid had basic Coors Light. And Rossi, of course, had a scotch in his hand.

"You don't want one of these?" He waved his glass in front of Hotch's face and took a long slow sip.

"Not on your life, Dave," Hotch pushed the drink away. "I still remember the hangover from hell. I'll stick to beer, thanks."

The others laughed, remembering Hotch wearing his sunglasses the entire day just barely a week ago.

"I still wish I could have seen that," JJ uttered, taking another drink of her beer.

"Can I get appetizers for anyone?" the waiter asked upon his arrival at their table.

"Wings, nachos, what else do you guys want?"

"How about one of those big combo platters?"

"Ooh, yeah, sounds good to me. Add that."

The waiter nodded and headed for the kitchen.

"I'm making a pig of myself tonight," Blake said.

"I think we've earned it," JJ nodded and they clinked beer bottles.

"You've all earned it," Hotch said. "You all did really good work on a very difficult trying case this week. It hit us all on a personal level, but you all rose above and beyond and got the job done. Good job, everyone."

He raised his beer in salute, and they all did the same before taking a sip.

"I need another one," JJ said.

"Already?" Reid asked.

"That's it, no stats on the effects of alcohol on smaller women?"

"Not tonight. I'm off duty," he winked and took a long pull on his beer.

As their appetizers arrived, Rossi ordered another scotch and pointed to the lades. "Round Two is on me, ladies!"

"What about us gentlemen?" Morgan feigned hurt.

"Yes, you gentlemen too."

So they all put in for another round and dove into the appetizers. None of them realized how hungry they were after a long day. And if they planned on drinking the night away, they were going to need some sustenance. The waiter came back moments later with another round of beers and they put in their dinner orders.

The team talked and laughed and told stories of past good times while they waited. JJ got a third beer. Hotch switched to coffee and water. Reid switched to brandy. Garcia opted for something fruity, still hanging onto her little umbrella. The others waited for dinner to arrive to refill their drinks.

Hotch and Rossi had the signature steak with baked potatoes. JJ, Blake, and Morgan opted for the grilled chicken with melted Monterrey Jack cheese and broccoli. Garcia opted for the Cajun Tilapia and sauteed vegetables. Reid had a cheeseburger bigger than his head. For a while the table was silent except for the occasional moan of delight.

During dinner, they noticed Garcia lean over and whisper in JJ's ear, and watched as JJ's face lit up like Christmas. These two women were devising a plan. That made everyone nervous. But they all continued eating and before long, the impromptu planning session was forgotten.

The waiter came around with a dessert menu. Everyone but Reid skipped dessert. Reid ordered a slice of chocolate cake that was sinful. Three layers of gooey chocolatey goodness. Everybody groaned a little when it arrived in all its glory. Reid, gentleman that he is, offered everyone a bite, and despite a higher than normal level of drooling, they all refused.

"How on earth do you eat like that, kid?" Morgan stared as he shoveled cake into his mouth.

"High metabolism, constant exercise with our job. I burn it off."

"Lucky dog," Garcia muttered.

JJ stood and whispered in her ear, "I'll be right back." Garcia nodded and kept watching skinny Spencer Reid devour the chocolate cake.

He finished just in time for JJ to return with a large scary looking drink in her hand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the BAU, may I have your attention," she called. And their rapt attention, she had. "It's time to officially welcome our newest member into the family properly."

She walked around the table and sat the concoction down in front of Alex Blake.

She eyed the drink warily. "What is that?"

"It's The Green Fairy!" JJ and Garcia joyously (or drunkenly) cried out. "Welcome to the family! Drink up!"

"You might not want to do that," Morgan warned, remembering their last encounter with The Green Fairy.

"Yeah, I'd be careful with that if I were you," Rossi added.

"Chug-a-lug... chug-a-lug..." JJ and Garcia were quietly chanting around her.

Reid and Hotch watched with looks on their faces that were part curiosity, part fear. They too, remembered the last encounter with said Fairy.

"How bad can it be, right?" Blake asked rhetorically. "Bottoms up!"

JJ and Garcia cheered, clapped, and whistled loudly as Blake drank it down.

"Woo-hoo!" Garcia and JJ danced around the table.

"Oh my God," Blake gasped. "That is terrible!"

"It's going to be wonderful in about five minutes!" Garcia's bubbly voice said.

She paused in her dancing, and picked up her glass. "A toast! To family!"

"To Family!" they all raised their glasses and toasted with her.

Welcome to the family, indeed!

* * *

_07/19/2013_


	201. Day 201: The Day After

**A/N: Thanks again for the great response! Some of you wanted to see Blake's day-after reaction to the Green Fairy. Well... here ya go!**

* * *

**365: Day 201**

**Characters: Alex Blake, James Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Day After**

Alex Blake woke up in a bit of a haze. She'd describe it as not quite hungover, but not quite right either. She just felt fuzzy all over. She got up and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. That made her feel a little more human. Then she went downstairs and found her husband James in the kitchen. He took one look at her and giggled.

"You've got some serious bed-head going on right now."

She reached up to smooth down her hair, which was sticking up in all directions.

"What time is it?"

"A little after 10:00am."

"Wow. Really?"

"Yeah. I don't remember the last time you slept this late."

"Me, either."

He handed her a glass of water and two Advil. "How's your head?"

"Fuzzy." She took the meds and drank half the glass in one gulp. "Thanks."

"My pleasure." He kissed her forehead. "What did you drink last night?"

"The Green Fairy."

He scrunched his eyebrows. "What the heck is a Green Fairy?"

"I'm not sure, but I never want another one."

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh my God. It was so bizarre. It was terrible, but I couldn't put it down!"

He laughed again. "Sit. I'm making breakfast."

"Is there coffee? I need coffee."

He poured her a mug and sat it in front of her.

"Aaahhh... my hero."

"I aim to please, my lady."

She drank her coffee and moaned loudly, bringing another giggle from her husband. He stood at the stove scrambling eggs and shaking his head.

"So, do you remember much about last night?"

"I remember most of it. We had a really good time. Even Hotch was relaxed."

"Wow. He seems intense. Hard to imagine him relaxed." He finished the eggs and pulled them off the heat. He pulled the bacon from the microwave and filled two plates, moving to the table to sit with her.

"I know. It's a little strange at first. But it's good to see that he does smile once in a while." She took a bite of her bacon and eggs. "Mmmmm..."

James grinned. "Glad to know I can still cook."

"Yes you can. I always loved it when you made breakfast. I really missed that when you were away."

"Just say the word and I'll make you breakfast whenever you want," he grinned, pointing his fork at her.

"Deal," she took another bite. "The food last night was so good. It was all junk food, but it was delicious. I was drinking beer, until JJ brought me that 'thing' and it's all downhill from there."

"So what's the deal with this horrible drink?"

"Apparently last year Hotch ran a triathlon and the night before, JJ, Garcia, and Emily went out and got wasted on The Green Fairy. So it's become some sort of rite of passage into the girls club, so to speak."

"So essentially, you're part of the family now. Officially."

"Yeah. I guess so." A slow grin appeared on her face. It appeared on his as well.

"Congratulations."

* * *

_07/20/2013_


	202. Day 202: Visiting George

**A/N: This is a revisiting of "Day 160: Fuzzy Cuddly Cuteness". Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 202**

**Characters: Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Visiting George**

Penelope Garcia was sitting on her colorful couch playing a game. George the kitten was asleep, curled up on top of the couch just over her left shoulder. The unexpected knock on the door startled them both. Curious kitten that George was, he jumped off the couch and ran to the door. Garcia followed. She looked through the peephole, surprised to see Spencer Reid waiting patiently with a bag in his hand. She picked up George and opened the door.

"Hey Garcia."

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"I wanted to see how George was doing. And I got him a present."

"Ooh! Presents! We love presents, don't we, George?"

"MEOW!" He wiggled in her arms trying to get down. "MEOW!"

"Okay, buddy, hold on." She closed the door and let him down. He scurried over to Reid, sniffing his shoes and rubbing against his leg. Reid bent down and scratched the kitten behind his ears. George purred loudly and arched his head up, trying to get Reid to scratch him some more.

"He's getting big already."

"I know. My baby is growing up so fast."

Reid giggled as Garcia dabbed the corners of her eyes, wiping away fake tears.

"MEOW!"

"I agree, George! Let's find out what Uncle Reid brought us!"

She picked up the kitten again and sat him on the couch between her and Reid. He immediately went for Reid's bag.

"Eager little fella, aren't you? You know there's something in there for you?"

"MEOW!"

"Okay, okay." Reid pulled the kitten out of the bag and emptied its contents onto the coffee table. There was a box of varied cans of cat food. There were also toy mice, a scratching pad, and a toy squirrel. George immediately pounced on the squirrel's fluffy tail and wrestled it to the ground.

"I think he likes it!"

They giggled as the kitten tried to pick up the squirrel and carry it around. As the squirrel was just as big as he was, he stumbled over it and rolled over, attacking it again immediately.

"Agreed. Are there any places where he's trying to scratch on the furniture or the door frames?"

"Yeah, he loves that door frame over there," she pointed to the kitchen.

"Set that scratching pad up over there. That may dissuade him from using the door frame. You may want to consider a tall scratching post as well. They like to be able to stretch out and scratch."

"I'm going to get him one of those cat hotel thingies. He can scratch on it and climb it and it's got all these different little platforms for him to lay on. He'll love it!"

"He'll definitely enjoy that," he was giggling again as the kitten perched himself on the arm of the couch and launched at the squirrel, pouncing and wrestling it into submission.

Garcia took the box of food into the kitchen and stacked the cans on the counter. She sat the empty box to the side and stored the cans in what she'd affectionately termed "George's cabinet". When she turned around, George was curled up inside the box. She squealed and grabbed her camera, snapping pictures rapidly.

"I guess it's true what they say about cats," Reid said from the doorway. "If they fit in it, they sit in it."

"So very true."

Reid picked up the box with the kitten still in it and held it close. "Good to see you again, George. I hope you like your new toys."

"MEOW!" George lifted his head and licked Reid's nose.

"I'll take that as a yes." He sat the box down and gave George a good rub down from the tips of his ears to his tail, causing the kitten to stretch out and purr loudly once again. "I'll see you again soon."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Reid. Thanks for bringing over all this."

"You're welcome. He's my little buddy. Gotta spoil him from time to time."

"He certainly seems to enjoy it."

"Good. See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

After seeing Reid out and locking the door, she went back into the kitchen to check on George. She snapped a new picture with her phone and sent it to Reid immediately. The kitten had dragged the squirrel into the box and was snuggling with it.

Reid's presents were definitely a hit.

* * *

_07/21/2013_


	203. Day 203: Training

**A/N: Happy Birthday Sugarhigh9394!**

* * *

**365: Day 203**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Training**

Derek Morgan took great pride in his abilities as a hand-to-hand combat trainer for the FBI. It meant the Bureau trusted his skill enough to teach the next wave of new agents and to keep veteran agents sharp and alert.

His favorite trainee... his teammate, Jennifer Jareau.

Today he had JJ in the gym. Derek held the striking shields and JJ donned the gloves, shin, and kick guards. They were practicing proper striking techniques. He had JJ using various punch and kick combinations. He would call out commands. "Jab! Hook! Front kick!" JJ would focus all her power to her fists and legs, proving to be much stronger than her small frame appeared. A time or two Derek had to take a step back and steady himself.

"Throwing some real power today, Jayje."

"You always tell me not to hold back," she gasped, catching her breath.

"That's right. Always give 'em everything you got."

"Then give 'em more."

Derek flashed that smile. "That's my girl." JJ laughed.

Derek put down the shields and picked up a set of focus mitts. These gave JJ a smaller focus area to hit. This would allow her to aim for a smaller, more compact target area. A skill that would serve her well if she ever found herself in a close combat situation with an unsub.

They engaged each other, JJ on the attack, Derek on the defensive. Occasionally Derek would swing, testing JJ's reflexes, causing her to either duck or block. JJ would also alter her attack, sometimes punching, sometimes kicking. Sometimes she would start her attack with her strong hand - her right - and sometimes she would start with the left. She constantly reminded herself not to solely focus on her strong side, but to use both equally to strengthen her all around abilities.

After a short stint with the focus pads, they both put on full protective gear - head gear, gloves, shin guards, waist guards - and got in the ring. JJ remained on the offensive, but Derek would swing and strike more often, keeping her on guard at all times.

They fought in five minute sessions, pausing to drink a little water and catch their breath. They would both take off their protective gear allowing their bodies to breathe, then suit back up for more. Five minutes on, five minutes off, for an hour they fought. Near the end of their session they'd drawn a crowd of fellow agents around the ring.

"Nice jab, Jareau!"

"Keep him on his heels."

"Better watch yourself, Morgan!"

When she hit a roundhouse back kick followed by a quick backhand that caused Derek to stumble, the onlookers let out a series of "Ooohhh"'s at the impressive woman giving Derek Morgan a run for his money. As the buzzer sounded time on their final session and they tapped gloves in the ring, the crowd applauded at the good show and dispersed.

"You've been practicing without me, haven't you?" Derek breathed heavily as he took off his gear.

She nodded and chuckled. "Will and I work out together when we have the same days off."

"You're gonna knock me out one of these days."

"Oh, I highly doubt that." She guzzled some water. "You're going to stop going easy on me soon."

"JJ, I stopped going easy on you weeks ago. Give yourself some credit. You're good."

"Thanks, D."

"You've got all this down pat. Next time, we grapple."

"Hell yeah!" JJ smiled big.

"Oh geez," Derek looked up at the lights. "I've created a monster."

They both laughed, pushing each other playfully, and headed for the locker rooms for showers and a fresh start to their day.

* * *

_07/22/2013_


	204. Day 204: The Mind Wanders

**A/N: I would just like to say thank you to all of you for sticking with this story for so long. I'm glad I haven't bored you to tears yet!**

* * *

**365: Day 204**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Mind Wanders**

Aaron Hotchner did not like paperwork days. Despite the mountain of paperwork that needed to be completed, he always found his mind wandering. He would think about every decision he made on a particular case.

Was it the right one?

Did it lead them in the right direction?

Would a different decision had gotten them their answers faster?

Many times lately he found himself wondering about former teammates. The longer he did this job, the more he came to value his pseudo-family. He couldn't help but wonder how those who had left the team were fairing.

Ashley Seaver was the easiest one to keep up with. All he had to do to check on her was go down to the fourth floor. Or pick up the phone and dial a three number extension and talk to Andi Swan. The handful of times he'd done this, he was glad to hear Ashley was thriving in the Domestic Trafficking Task Force. She'd grown in her abilities and was putting what she'd learned as a member of the BAU to good use. She was able to add a bit of profiling to their cases and help track down these offenders a little faster than before. Andi was proud of her, and in turn, he was too.

Emily Prentiss was also easy to keep up with, as long as he remembered the time differences between Quantico, Virginia and London, England. And of course those pesky cases that stopped the both of them from checking in as often as they'd like. When they were able to contact each other, their quick check ins became hour long conversations that made him remember how much he missed her sense of humor and snarkiness. She, too, was thriving as a team leader; a fact that made him quite proud. And he had her assurances that, good on his word, Clyde Easter was indeed watching out for her. Which, admittedly, sometimes drove her crazy.

And Jordan Todd was still doing well in Counter-Terrorism. Of course, CTU was extremely busy as of late dealing with all manner of terrorist threats, both to our borders and American institutions abroad. Not a day went by that CTU didn't have to diffuse a volatile situation. And true to form, she always handled the situation efficiently.

And then there were Elle and Gideon.

He hadn't seen or spoken to Elle Greenaway in nearly seven years. He couldn't help but wonder if he would ever have the chance to make amends with her. There were times he still felt responsible for the situation that led to her leaving the BAU. He knew she still blamed him for her being shot by Randall Gardner. Maybe he'd let her come back too soon. Maybe if he had fought to keep her out of the field a few weeks longer, or had never suggested she go undercover on a case so soon after her return, maybe she would still be a part of their family. Thinking about Elle always made him feel he'd failed as a Unit Chief. It made him feel he'd failed even more as a friend.

And Jason Gideon. He never understood how Jason could leave them. Leave Spencer. For a while he expected to see him return, if for no other reason than to check on Reid, seeing as he was still struggling with his forced drug addiction. But after months of wishful thinking, he resigned himself to the fact that none of them would ever see him again. That was the way Jason wanted it. Sara's murder was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. He had seen so much horror, so much death and destruction, that he finally couldn't handle the pressures anymore. He couldn't fight anymore.

Thinking about Jason often made him wonder about his own breaking point. He wondered if there was anything that could push him to walk away from everything and everyone he cared about and disappear into the sunset. In his mind, there was only one thing that would push him to that point. And as soon as that notion made itself known, he immediately pushed it to the farthest, darkest corner of his mind. Because thinking about something so horrible happening to Jack would send him into an emotional tailspin and make him physically nauseous. That path was not one on which he could linger. Ever.

That was all it took to snap him out of his thoughts and back into the real world, and the ever-growing stack of paperwork threatening to eat his desk. He would stand up and walk to his office window, looking out over his current team. He would watch them interact and smile. They had come a long way since he took over as Unit Chief. They were closer, stronger. They were a complete unit.

And he was damn proud to be their leader.

Even with all the extra paperwork.

* * *

_07/23/2013_


	205. Day 205: Believing

**A/N: Thank you to AlexandriaZ for pointing out my mistake in the previous chapter. Andi Swan is head of the Domestic Trafficking Task Force, not Crimes against Children. That was Katie Cole (season two). So Seaver is working in Domestic Trafficking, not CAC. Therefore, there has been a small edit to last night's chapter. Thanks again for pointing that out!**

**This chapter is a continuation of the previous.**

* * *

**365: Day 205**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Believing**

Hotch signed off on his final file of the day, dropped his pen on the closed folder, leaned back in his chair and sighed. He was tired. Mountains of paper always wore him out. Desk jobs were not for him. He needed to be out in the field. The field left him mentally and physically exhausted, but at least he felt he'd done some good when he was out there. Here he just felt tired.

He heard the filing cabinet close in the office next door and realized Dave was still in the office. He left his office and went next door. He knocked on the closed door and let himself in, closing it behind him. He dropped into the visitor's chair in front of Dave's desk and closed his eyes.

"I hate paperwork days."

Dave smirked at him from his own chair. He took his glasses off and pointed them at Hotch. "You've been thinking again."

Hotch huffed slightly. "You profiling me?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," he held his arms up, palms out, innocently.

"Yeah, right."

Dave chuckled. "It's officially after hours. Wanna drink?"

"Noooo! I'm not drinking with you ever again."

Dave laughed outright as Aaron rubbed his forehead, remembering the last time he had "a drink" with Dave and the hangover that came with it.

"I am right though," Dave said. "You've been thinking again."

"I have," Aaron nodded.

"About?"

"The past and present of this team. The things we've done well. The things I wish we could do over. The people who have come and gone."

"Now we're getting somewhere."

"What do you mean?"

"I know that look, Aaron. The one that tells me you've been thinking about Gideon."

"I'm that obvious?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm just very good at my job. And I've known you for a long time."

"This is true," Hotch nodded.

"So what's eating at you this time?"

He sighed. "I let my mind go to a place that I really shouldn't. It's too dark in that place."

"The breaking point?"

"The breaking point."

"Jack?"

"Yeah."

"I know just the thing to fix this."

"What's that?"

Dave got up from his chair, picked up his sport coat and draped it over his arm. "You are going to pick up your son." He walked around his desk and put his hand on Hotch's shoulder. "I am going to pick up the pizza." He walked to his office door. "And we are going to hang out with a pretty cool seven-year-old."

Hotch couldn't help but smile. He shook his head and got up, meeting Dave at the door.

"And we are going to let him push that darkness back into its hole."

And so they did.

* * *

_07/24/2013_


	206. Day 206: Pizza Night and Ninja Turtles

**A/N: Yeah, you knew it was coming! :P**

* * *

**365: Day 206**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Jack Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Pizza Night and Ninja Turtles**

Hotch and Dave left the BAU at the same time, but drove off in two different directions. While Dave headed to his favorite pizza place, Hotch went to his sister-in-law's home to pick up his son. They were playing Frisbee in the front yard when he pulled up.

"Hey Daddy!" Jack waved the Frisbee at him.

"Hey bud! Throw me one."

Jack took his stance, focusing the way Jessica had taught him, and threw the Frisbee in Hotch's direction. Hotch had to jump for it, but for a seven year old, the throw was surprisingly accurate.

"Nice throw, Jack!" He went into the yard and picked Jack up, draping him over his shoulder and getting a great laugh out of the little guy. Jessica laughed as well.

"You're going to throw your back out one day."

"I think I've got another two or three years before he gets that heavy. But if we cut back on the pizza, maybe I can push that to four years."

"Nooooo!" Jack squealed, still upside down. "No cutting back on the pizza. Pizza is awesome!"

"You're going to turn into a Ninja Turtle if you keep eating so much pizza."

"COOL! I wanna be Michaelangelo!"

Hotch shook his head and Jessica laughed harder.

"Alright, Michaelangelo. You ready to go?"

"Yep!"

Hotch put him down and he ran inside to get his backpack. They said their goodbyes to Jessica and headed for home.

"Dad, can we have pizza tonight?"

"Maybe. There's somebody coming to see you. We'll see if he's good with pizza."

"Someone's coming to see me?" he asked excitedly. "Who?"

"You'll see."

He pulled into the apartment complex parking lot and noticed a familiar car had beaten him here. He and Jack got out of the car and went into the complex. Jack saw his surprise visitor waiting by their apartment door.

"Uncle Dave!"

"Hey kiddo! I've been waiting for you. What took you so long?"

"We was playing Frisbee with Aunt Jessica," Jack said as Hotch opened the door and they went inside.

"I was beginning to wonder. I thought I was gonna have to eat all this pizza by myself."

"Noooooo! I can't be a Ninja Turtle without pizza!"

"Well, good thing I maintained some self control and didn't eat any."

"You're a good man, David Rossi," Hotch said. He turned to Jack. "Go put your backpack up and wash up."

Jack ran to his room and dropped his backpack on his bed, then went to the bathroom to wash his hands. When he came back, the pizzas were on the table along with plates and drinks. There was one pepperoni, one cheese, and one supreme. Jack took one look at that one and scrunched up his nose.

"What is all that stuff?"

"That's the good stuff," Dave said. "Peppers, onions, mushrooms, sausage..."

"That's just wrong, Uncle Dave," he shook his head. "That stuff doesn't go on pizza."

"Oh, you may change your mind one of these days."

"I don't think so," he shook his head as Hotch put a slice of pepperoni on his plate for him.

The three of them ate and laughed through dinner. Of course the conversation quickly resorted back to Ninja Turtles.

"So if you're Michaelangelo, who are all the others?" Hotch asked.

"Um..." Jack thought hard. "Daddy, you're Leonardo. He's the leader."

"Sounds good to me," Hotch grinned.

"Spencer is Donatello, 'cause he's smart. And he likes purple. A lot."

Rossi had to laugh at that. The kid was definitely perceptive.

"Hmm... Morgan's the tough guy, so he's Raphael."

Rossi thought for a second. "Hang on. That's all four turtles. I didn't get one."

Hotch looked at Jack. "Can I take care of this one?"

"Go for it, Dad."

Hotch looked across the table at his one-time mentor and best friend, and smiled. "You're Splinter. The one who looks out for all of the others. The one who takes care of them. The reason they're all together in the first place."

Dave couldn't help the smile that slowly spread across his face. He never thought he could be compared to a mutant rat, much less feel sentimental about it, but that's exactly what just happened. And he wouldn't change it for anything. He raised his glass to Aaron, who raised his in return. Jack raised his too, and the three clinked glasses in toast to each other.

The rest of the meal was spent with stories of Jack's day with his aunt. While Hotch and Dave cleaned up the kitchen, Jack put on his pajamas and picked out a movie. Before joining him in the living room, Hotch turned to Dave.

"Thank you for this."

"Just reminding you why you're not going to end up like Gideon. You need that knock in the head once in a while."

"Yeah. Glad I've got you to keep me sane."

"My pleasure."

They went into the living room, where of course, Jack had the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" in the DVD player waiting for them.

"Guess we should have seen this coming."

"It's the perfect choice."

Jack giggled at them and pressed play.

By the time Partners In Kryme were singing "T-U-R-T-L-E POWER!" during the closing credits, Jack was sound asleep leaning against his Uncle Dave. Hotch picked him up and carried him to bed, tucking him in and placing a kiss on his forehead. Dave ruffled his hair and they both left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Hotch walked Dave to the door. "Thanks again for tonight. I needed this."

Dave glanced back in the direction of Jack's room. "You know, sometimes we all need to be reminded once in a while why we do this job. I think I needed this as much as you did."

"Thanks, Master Splinter."

"Cowabunga!"

They both laughed and bid each other goodnight. Both were feeling much better.

* * *

_07/25/2013_


	207. Day 207: The Love, The Hate, The Love

**A/N: This is a little something for 365's newest follower, FreelanceDreamer. Welcome to the madness! I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**365: Day 207**

**Characters: David Rossi, Derek Morgan, mentions of Erin Strauss**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**The Love, The Hate, The Love**

The morning had started out smooth enough. It was Friday, they didn't have a case to take them out of town, and they could all look forward to a weekend off.

But as the day went on, Dave felt himself growing sad. He'd walked by her office earlier. He'd been avoiding walking down that corridor since her death. He knew seeing the empty office where she practically lived for so many years would be a painful reminder that he'd never see her again.

He'd returned to his office, closed the door and stayed there the remainder of the day. He'd tried losing himself in his work, but the vision of her face or the reminder of her laugh would work its way into his thoughts. It had been just over two months since her death, and still the thought of her made his heart ache in ways he hadn't felt since Carolyn.

The unexpected knock on his door startled him. He thought for sure everyone had gone home by now. He sat momentarily to make sure he wasn't hearing things. The second knock verified he wasn't.

"Come in."

Derek opened the door and poked his head in. "I saw your light on. Didn't realize you were still here."

"Yeah."

He came in and sat down. "Everything okay?"

Dave smiled sadly and glanced at a framed photo on the side of his desk. Derek leaned up to see. It was a photo of Dave and Erin dancing at JJ's wedding. Suddenly, Derek understood.

"It's been two months," he said.

"Two months and two days," Dave corrected. "I miss her."

"I know."

The two sat quietly for a moment before Dave broke the silence.

"You changed her life, Derek. I don't know if you know that. The day you caught her drinking on the job was both the worst and best day of her life."

"That was a hard time. A hard decision."

"I know," Dave sighed. "But it was the right one."

"So," Derek smirked, "how did the two of you become the two of you? I mean, I always thought you hated each other."

That brought a genuine laugh from Dave. "Oh, don't get me wrong. That woman could push my buttons like nobody else on Earth. We would argue and fight. She would throw her superiority at me, I would throw my sarcasm at her. But when you broke through the ice, which was damn thick, there was a beautiful woman underneath."

Derek smiled in return. "I can believe that."

"She really fought her addiction, Derek. She never let any of you see it, but I saw it. I'm glad I was the one she allowed to be there in the middle of the night. She fought so hard and she got her life back. She mended some fences. She smiled again. She laughed again. She found the courage to stand up for what she believed in again. You gave that back to her, Derek. She'd lost herself in the bottom of a bottle. Because you stepped up and confronted her, she found herself again. I know she thanked you. but I don't think I ever did. Thank you, Derek."

"All I did was confront her," he said, shaking his head. "She did all the hard work."

"You gave her a reason to do the work."

"I'm just glad she won the fight."

Dave smiled. "You and me both."

Derek stood. "I'm heading out. Want me to wait on you?"

"Sure. I'll be out in a minute."

With that, Derek left. He went back to his office only long enough to get his go-bag and a few case files. Then he returned and waited for Rossi.

After Derek left, Dave picked up the picture. She was smiling, eyes dancing with a hint of mischief. Dave was running his hand up and down her arm. He saw Derek reappear in the bullpen and sat the picture down to gather his belongings. Before leaving, he took the picture in his hands once more. "Goodnight, Love. I miss you."

* * *

_07/26/2013_


	208. Day 208: Healing

**A/N: This story has garnered a few more new followers over the last two days. Welcome to you all! I hope you're enjoying the ride. And to those of you who have been on the ride since day one, thanks for sticking around!**

* * *

**365: Day 208**

**Characters: Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Healing**

"We never got the chance to thank you," Alex Blake said as she stood in front of the tombstone of Erin Strauss. She hadn't been back here since they buried her two months ago. And yet here she was, giving thanks to the woman to provided the clues that led them to her killer, The Replicator.

"When I was offered the position in the BAU, I didn't know what to think. You and I have never seen eye to eye on much of anything. Truth be told, I was a little afraid to come back here. I felt like I was opening myself up to being hurt again. You nearly ended my career all those years ago. Trusting you again was hard. But I'm glad I did."

She fidgeted around a little, never really feeling comfortable in cemeteries. They were filled with too much finality.

"I'm glad we were able to mend our fences in the end. And I'm glad you didn't lose your sneaky side over the years. Planting the wrong information in Hotch's case reports was genius. You knew The Replicator was someone on the inside. You knew before any of us. You gave us the clues we needed."

She sighed and shook her head. "I should have seen that John Curtis could have been responsible. I knew how angry and volatile he was after his demotion. We went through that together. I've been playing it over in my head lately. I can't help but think that if I had realized it sooner, you'd still be here.

"You may not believe this... but I miss you. They all do, too. Especially Dave. You two were good at keeping that one under wraps," she chuckled.

"Anyway, we never got the chance to thank you. You're the reason we were able to stop Curtis. You lead us to him. Thank you, Erin."

* * *

_07/27/2013_


	209. Day 209: Sunday Funday

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews everyone! Glad you're still enjoying the ride! My apologies for the shortness of this chapter. It's been a busy day. I've only been home for an hour and I'm wiped out.**

* * *

**365: Day 209**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Sunday Funday**

Alex Blake made a stop at her favorite cafe and ordered three coffees to go, sweetened just the way she knew they liked it. Her next stop was to pick up Jennifer Jareau. And her third stop was to pick up Penelope Garcia.

They had given her the "Green Fairy" initiation into the BAU Girls Club. Now she wanted to do something special for them. Especially Garcia, whose honesty after their first meeting was still fondly remembered. She'd confessed to not liking change, especially in their little unit, but she had come to accept Alex as part of that family whole-heartedly, which of course was the only way Penelope did anything. She appreciated the struggle the bubbly tech analyst went through in order to accept her. It wasn't something Alex was going to forget anytime soon.

So today was her day to give back to them. She was taking them to one of her favorite places.

A day at the spa.

They would be manicured and pedicured. They would be massaged by strong hands and hot stones. They would spend some time in the sauna, have a facial, maybe even have their hair done if they were feeling up to it. As often as Garcia liked to change up her hairstyle, she knew she'd enjoy that feature.

A day of pampering that every girl deserved now and then.

Even three tough-as-nails, badass FBI agents.

Today was their day to let the girly girl in them loose and to be treated like queens.

Which they were.

* * *

_07/28/2013_


	210. Day 210: Hellish Vision

**A/N: Once again, thank you all for all the support! Rockhotch31, Cat Jenkins, Annber03, MidwestDreamer, JenTWCSINYFAN, BBHotblooded, Mummacass, AWChic, Akasha Rose, Jenntedisco, Wotumba1, Lexjl, Jmm1197 (Welcome to the party!), Pechika, P95000, Lena2502, Rutland, Sand 'n Sable, AlexandriaZ, Brummie10, CMCity, Tannerose5, Jerseybelle, PrettyMind2, MaryEllen1960 (thank you for the messages!), Gemini-Victoria, MerlinWizardPurr, CeeCee333, Sdia75, TheMysteriousGeek2345, Daisy312, SuzySorrowLess, FreelanceDreamer, Popcorn1001, catz r the all time best, Lady Lunera, and my guest reviewers. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**Time to get a little dark... or a lot dark... (I'm feeling a little evil tonight.)**

* * *

**365: Day 210**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Hellish Vision**

Hotch and Rossi entered the two story house through the basement, guns at the ready. They went quietly, checking doors, checking each other, moving with extreme caution. Hotch went up the stairs first, Rossi right on his heels. He opened the door to the main floor and Rossi went through, Hotch covering him as he did so.

The main level was dark. They went forward together to the staircase. With still a lot of house to search and not much time to work with, they reluctantly separated.

"I'm going up," Rossi whispered. Hotch nodded. As Rossi went up the stairs, Hotch went around behind the staircase to the back of the house. He searched quickly, keeping his head on a swivel to watch for potential attackers. Living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom. All clear. He went back to the staircase to join Rossi.

That's when he heard the shots.

And the thud.

He ran up the stairs, heart racing, mind fearing the worst.

He saw the body of their unsub lying in a doorway. His lower half was in the hallway, upper half in one of the bedrooms. He checked for a pulse, finding none.

"Dave!" he called out, still crouched down beside the body.

"Ungh..."

He followed the sound across the hall into the other bedroom. He found Dave lying on the ground clutching his side and gasping. He ran across the hall to Dave's side, making the "Agent Down" call into his communication device as he did.

"Move your hand. Let me see."

Dave moved his blood covered hands to reveal the wound. The bullet had found the space between the front and back of his protective vest. A vulnerable spot just above the waist on his right side. Hotch put both hands over the wound, applying as much pressure as he could to try to stop the bleeding. Dave groaned and gasped in pain.

"Hang on, Dave. Help is coming," he said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. "You just hang on."

"Aaron..." he gasped. His head lulled back and he struggled to stay awake.

"Don't try to talk. Just hang on. Hang on."

"Uhhnng..." He gripped Aaron's hand tightly as the pain began to overwhelm him. Then his grip began to loosen.

"Don't do that, Dave. Don't let go."

But his hand fell to the side.

"Hang on, Dave!"

And his head lulled over.

"Dave?"

And the gasping stopped.

"Dave!"

* * *

Aaron awoke with a start. He was sweating and gasping and looking around the room frantically. Across the room on the other bed, his best friend and mentor slept peacefully.

A dream.

It was all a dream.

A hellish dream.

He watched Dave sleep while he got his heart to settle down and got his breathing under control. He then got up and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. It had been a while since he'd had a nightmare. Especially one that felt so real. He stayed in the bathroom a few minutes until he got himself back under control. He took a deep breath and went back into the room. His hands had finally stopped shaking. He laid back down and stared at the ceiling, looking over at Dave every few minutes to reassure himself that he was still there.

He knew two things for certain.

He wasn't getting anymore sleep tonight.

And nightmares sucked.

* * *

_07/29/2013_


	211. Day 211: Staying Close

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for the great feedback! Sorry for giving you all a heart attack last night. *mwahahaha* It's fun being evil now and then!**

**This is a continuation of Day 210.**

* * *

**365: Day 211**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Staying Close**

Aaron spent most of the night alternating between staring at the ceiling and watching Dave, reassuring himself that his friend was still there. Still alive. The dream had been unsettling, to say the least. But he knew he needed to get his emotions contained so he and his team could focus on the case at hand. Dwelling on a bad dream wouldn't do him any good. He glanced at the clock. 4:55am. Sighing, he gave up on rest. He got up and went to shower.

Dave woke just after 5:00 and noticed Aaron was already up. He heard the shower running. It was unusually early, but not necessarily uncommon. Aaron often had trouble sleeping while on a case. They all did.

Once they were both showered and dressed they met the rest of the team in the hotel dining room for breakfast. Dave noticed Aaron paying a little closer attention to his team.

And not just during breakfast.

Throughout the day he noticed that Hotch was in protective mode. Nobody went anywhere alone. He kept close tabs on everyone, not just his team but the local officers as well. Even his choice of pairings were what Dave dubbed his protective pairings. The pairings that brought out the protective instincts in all of them. Morgan with JJ. Blake with Reid. And himself with Hotch.

He knew something was up, but now was not the time to address it. They needed to stay focused. He'd wait until they were back in their room tonight to find out.

He didn't get his opportunity until nine hours later, when they were all completely exhausted and stumbling back to their hotel begging for sleep. Hotch looked ragged. He could tell by looking at him that he hadn't slept much the night before. They all looked beat down, but Hotch looked dead on his feet. But he needed to know what was going on with his friend.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," Hotch said. "Just tired. I need to get some sleep."

"Didn't sleep much last night?"

"You know me."

"Yeah, I do," Dave said. "You've been in protective mode all day. You want to tell me what's going on?"

Hotch sighed. "I had a bad dream last night. I just needed to know my team was safe today. That's all."

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Aaron?"

Hotch sat on the edge of his bed and ran his hand through his hair. There was no getting out of this. "You and I were searching a house. We split up. I heard shots and came running but I wasn't fast enough. You died in my arms."

Dave sat next to him. "Wow."

"Yeah."

"Well, you kept your team safe today, Aaron. We're all still here. We're all in one piece. And we fully intend to stay that way."

"I intend to keep you that way. So you're going to have to put up with a little protectiveness for a while."

Rossi chuckled. "I think we can live with that."

"Good."

"Maybe it will help you sleep tonight."

"I think I'm going to sleep tonight regardless. I'm exhausted."

"Me, too. Get some rest."

"Yeah. You too."

They both got changed and got into bed. Just before shutting the light off, Dave had one more thing to say.

"And Aaron."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not going anywhere. Not for a long time."

"Good."

* * *

_07/30/2013_


	212. Day 212: Paying Attention

**A/N: Thanks again everyone! And to my newest story followers, Mazzie-Lee and Crimescenecriminal, welcome to the party!**

**This takes place the same night as Day 211**

* * *

**365: Day 212**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Paying Attention**

In the room next door, Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid were winding down for the evening. Reid was unusually quiet this evening. No stream of statistics or rambling on seemingly unrelated subjects. Throughout the evening he seemed to be simply observing everything around him. Paying close attention to the interactions of his teammates. Derek noticed.

"You okay, kid?" he asked as he traded his work t-shirt and slacks for cotton lounge pants. "You've been quiet all night."

Reid hesitated before answering. "I think Hotch is having nightmares again."

"You noticed it too, huh?"

"Dark circles under his eyes. Never sent anyone anywhere alone. Watching every move like a hawk. He pairs us in certain ways when he's being protective. Strongest personal relationships combined with specific skill sets. Blake and I have a strong personal relationship. I've known her for years before she joined the BAU. We complement each other very well and he's seen that. JJ is technically the newest profiler so it makes sense to pair her with the strongest. Plus you're her trainer, you know where her strengths lie and can compensate for any weaknesses. And he trusts you to make tactical decisions. And Rossi is his best friend and mentor. It makes sense to want to stay close to him if he's feeling in any way less than 100%. Yes, I noticed."

Derek had to smile at the long list of observances. "Yeah. I thought so, too."

"Do you think he's okay?"

"Yeah I do. I thing if he felt like he wasn't he would have pulled himself from the case."

"I remember several years ago I got really mad at you for telling Hotch that I was having nightmares. I was afraid he would pull me from the field. I didn't want to talk to anyone about it. But you were right back then. Talking about them helped me deal with them. Do you think he'll talk to anyone?"

"I think of anyone on the planet can get him to talk about whatever it is, it's Rossi. And you can bet if we noticed something was up, Rossi did too."

"Rossi doesn't let things go easily. Kind of like someone else I know," he raised his eyebrows looking at Morgan.

"Touche, kid."

Reid chuckled as Morgan playfully pushed the side of his head. He changed his clothes and got into bed. Morgan got into the other.

"You okay with all this, Reid?"

"Yeah. I'm okay. I just want him to be okay."

"He will be. Get some sleep."

And with that, they turned the lights out on another day.

* * *

_07/31/2013_


	213. Day 213: A New Perspective

**A/N: Welcome to the party Couragexoxo, Jillo721, and SuperGenius99!**

* * *

**365: Day 213**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A New Perspective**

Alex Blake stood in front of the mini fridge wishing something resembling snacky junk food would appear around the water bottles. But she also had something on her mind. Something she wanted to ask about but didn't know if she should. Finally she let her curiosity overtake her need for a snickers bar.

"Hey, JJ," she called out. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did anything seem a little off to you today?"

JJ had to chuckle a bit and smile. Alex Blake was definitely learning the quirks of their team. "You mean with Hotch?"

"Yeah. He seemed even more protective than usual today. Did something happen that we don't know about?"

"Nothing pertaining to the case. He gets this way when his nightmares come back."

Blake played that over in her head for a moment. "I noticed Spencer seemed to be observing him more closely than usual. He must have known that too."

"We've all come to recognize the signs. This is the first time you've seen it but it won't be the last." JJ sighed. "Hotch's nightmares are vicious. He doesn't have them very often, but when he does they usually involve something happening to one of us or to Jack. They're strong enough to shake him up. That's why he gets overly protective sometimes. He needs to know we're safe. It's his way of putting the dreams to rest, so to speak."

"That makes sense. Especially considering everything this team has been through. I know I wasn't here for most of it, but Spencer and I talk. He's told me some horror stories about what you've all been through over the years. And I've learned enough about Hotch to know that he holds himself personally responsible for everything that happens to his team."

"And you may have noticed that we're just as protective of him as he is of us."

"I have. And it seems only right. I mean, that's what family does. They look out for each other."

"Exactly. And we always will."

* * *

_08/01/2013_


	214. Day 214: Talking Points

**A/N: Sorry tonight's chapter is a little later than usual. I was at a concert. Saw Matchbox 20 and The Goo Goo Dolls tonight. It was AWESOME! :)**

**To Jhill88 and ThunderStormGirl15...welcome to the party!**

* * *

**365: Day 214**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Alex Blake**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Talking Points**

Hotch was hard at work finishing the case reports in his office when he heard a tentative knock at the door.

"Come in," he said, not looking up. Alex came in, closed the door and took a seat in front of his desk. He finished signing off on report number four of the evening and looked up.

"Sorry about that. What can I do for you?"

"Can we talk?"

"Of course." He put his pen down and gave her his undivided attention.

"I just wanted to ask if everything was okay." He looked at her with curiosity, so she continued. "I just... I noticed a few things on the case. You seemed a little stressed. More so than usual anyway."

"I appreciate your concern, but everything is fine."

"Good. I know I'm the newbie here, but if you ever need to talk..." She left he statement hanging.

Hotch tried to suppress a chuckle. "I'm assuming you and Reid talked about a few things concerning our team."

"No, sir."

"Really?"

"I talked to JJ."

"Ah. I'm going to guess it was about my overprotective streak this week?"

"Yes, sir. And I completely understand it. It was just unfamiliar territory for me, so I asked JJ about it. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind," he smiled. "I know you haven't been with us for very long. But you've seen enough to know how this job can haunt us. Protectiveness is my way of fighting the ghosts, so to speak."

"I can understand that. I've seen my fair share of horrors during the various posts in my Bureau career. None quite as bad as what we've seen here. Still, sometimes the ghosts stay with you."

"Unfortunately, they do."

Everyone knew his ghost often took the form of George Foyet. He wondered what her ghosts looked like. Was it John Curtis? Or was it the many political bureaucrats that nearly ended her career after the Amerithrax case? Maybe even Erin Strauss? That one he doubted, though. He was almost certain they'd made amends and were working toward trusting each other again before Erin's death.

"So how are you coping with everything? I know I should have asked that question much sooner and I'm sorry I haven't."

She thought about it for a moment, assessed her mental well-being during her near 11 months with the BAU. She had to smile. "I'm good. It's very hard to see the things we see, but I'm handling it well. I'm sure having James home helps with that. He's always been my sounding board."

"Good. Speaking of James, why don't you go on home. It's getting late."

"I am. I was just dropping this off. Although," she stared at the pile of folders stacked haphazardly across his desk, "I feel bad. I hate to add it to the stack."

"Who knows... maybe that will be the one that finally breaks my desk in half."

She placed the file gently on top of the precarious stack and... nothing happened. Hotch hung his head. "Damn. I was hoping it would break. Then I could go home."

She had to laugh. She couldn't help it. "Goodnight, Hotch."

"Alex," he called back to her.

"Yes?"

"My door is always open to my team. Always."

She nodded and exited the office with a new found respect for her Unit Chief. As well as sympathy. One day she knew she would come into his office and he'd be on the floor under a large pile of files. She shook her head and headed for the elevators while her Unit Chief got back to work.

* * *

_08/02/2013_


	215. Day 215: Classified Revelations

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for the awesome reviews! And to CM09 and VanInBlack (I've missed you, girl!), Welcome to the party!**

**This is a continuation of Day 214. Also, there are mentions of events from Episode 5x09 "100" and 8x24 "The Replicator".**

* * *

**365: Day 215**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Alex Blake**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Classified Revelations**

After everyone had gone home for the night, Blake went upstairs and waited for Hotch outside a secure room on the seventh floor as he'd requested. The room needed a code for entry which she did not have. Hotch arrived holding a large accordion file marked "Classified". He punched in the code and held the door open for her to enter. The room was bare except for a table and two chairs. He sat the file on the table and pulled several smaller files from it, laying them out. Then he pulled a digital recorder out and sat it on the table. Alex stood watching, completely confused.

"What's all this?"

"This is my ghost." He took a deep breath. "This is George Foyet."

She immediately remembered the only time that name was mentioned since she'd been on the team. It was right after The Replicator killed Erin Strauss. Hotch had told them how he'd used Foyet to taunt him about being too late to save Haley, just like he'd be too late to save Erin. She remembered the team being stunned that he knew about a classified case. And then she was told the connection. George Foyet was responsible for the murder of Haley Hotchner. That was the last time anything about that case was ever mentioned. She knew how hard this must be for him. And she was surprised he was willing to share this with her, but wasn't totally sure she wanted to know the details of the worst time of Aaron Hotchner's life.

"Hotch, you don't have to do this."

"You need to know. It may be a classified case, but not to my team. The Boston portion of this case is common knowledge, but the rest is not. This is everything from my attack to his death." He pointed to the recorder on the table. "That contains the internal investigation and the debriefing of the team including myself."

"I don't think I have the security clearance to look at that file."

"I've cleared it with the director. He's agreed to this."

He removed a form from the front of the first file, signed it, and handed it to Blake.

"You need to sign this. It's a chain of custody form for this case file. It doesn't leave this room until I return it to the Justice Department."

"Understood," she signed next to his name.

"I'll be across the hall working on some case files. I'll come back in two hours. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

She nodded and he left the room. She stared at the spread of case files on the table, almost afraid to open them. She knew how devastating the information inside those files was, not just to Hotch but to every member of his team. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to discover, and opened the first file...

_Nine stab wounds..._

_St. Sebastian hospital..._

_Direct threat..._

_Haley and Jack Hotchner moved into protective custody..._

_Derek Morgan appointed temporary Unit Chief..._

_US Marshal Sam Kassmeyer found severely injured..._

_Initial contact with Foyet..._

She held her hand to her mouth and gasped as she read Aaron Hotchner's firsthand account of the fatal phone call heard by the entire BAU team and the brutal recollection of George Foyet's death. Then she started the recording and listened to each member recount what they knew of the case. The details were crushing, but she listened with pride as one by one she heard each member stand up for and defend their Unit Chief.

_"There was nothing I could do for her. She was already..." _

Hearing Hotch's broken voice was her undoing. She stopped the recording and let her tears flow freely. While she cried, she packed up all the files and returned them, along with the recorder, to the accordion file. She sat in the chair, her mind pouring over everything she'd just learned, and waited for Hotch to return.

Less than ten minutes later he entered the room. His face remained as stoic as ever, but his eyes betrayed him. She could see that he'd been reliving that horrible day as she'd been learning about it.

"Do you have any questions?"

"No," she sniffled, wiping her eyes. "But I'm going to do something right now that's very much out of my character."

She got out of her chair, walked up to him, and hugged him tightly. He was taken aback for a brief moment by the unexpected gesture, but then returned her hug.

"I'm so sorry, Hotch. I had no idea."

He pulled out of the hug and looked her in the eye. "This man is the reason for all of my nightmares. And he's the reason I'm so overly protective of this team. He got to all of us. I always said that would never happen again. And then Ian Doyle happened. And The Replicator happened. As much as I try to avoid it, our team is in constant danger. But I will do everything in my power to see that you are all protected. We can't handle losing anymore people we care about."

"I understand, Hotch. Now more than ever. I know how much you care about this family. But you should know that they care just as much about you. So do I."

"I know," he smiled, taking notice that she said family instead of team. That's exactly what they were. "And thank you."

He removed the chain of custody form once again and this time they signed it in the opposite order. Her returning the file, him receiving it. While he returned the file to the Justice Department, she headed home.

When she arrived, her husband was waiting for her. She didn't say a word. She simply walked up to him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tighter than she had since his return from the desert.

"Hey," he asked gently, rubbing her back. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head against his neck. "I love you so much, James. Just always know that, okay?"

"I know." He kissed her temple. "I love you, too."

* * *

_08/03/2013_


	216. Day 216: Past and Present

**A/N: Thank you very much again for the incredible reviews and all the feedback! It is all very much appreciated!**

**LeahLovesJacob requested some Hotch/Beth for tonight. While that wasn't my initial plan, it would fit very nicely into the end of this chapter, so this is for you. I hope you like it!**

**A continuation of Day 215.**

* * *

**365: Day 216**

**Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Beth Clemmons**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Past and Present**

Aaron pulled his car to a stop along the curb and stared out across the field of grave markers and tombstones. He picked up the small batch of red and white roses from the passenger seat and got out of the car. He walked solemnly, respectfully past the resting places of someone's loved ones to the small marker under the shade tree in front of the concrete bench where he'd spent many an afternoon. He knelt and dusted leaves off of her marker and caressed her name.

Haley Hotchner.

He laid the roses beside her name and took his customary place on the bench. He didn't speak. Rather, he thought about everything in that classified file he'd shared with Alex Blake. He closed his eyes and remembered in blinding detail everything about that horrific day. He remembered the last time he heard her voice. He remembered her bravery in the face of mortal danger. He remembered the promises he made to her. He hoped he was making good on those promises in her eyes. Still, to this day, he wondered if there was anything he could have done differently that would have spared her life. Anything short of taking the deal. And as was generally the case, he came up empty.

He still missed her. He saw her face every time he looked at their son. He was growing up so fast and looking more and more like her. He had her heart, a trait for which he was eternally grateful. Jack cared so deeply for people and loved with his whole heart. He was a good kid and a good friend to so many. He was exceptionally smart and did very well in school Thinking of Jack made him smile. He had no doubt that Haley would be beyond proud of the wonderful boy her son was growing to be.

He stood from the bench and knelt once again in front of her marker. He kissed his fingertips and laid them over her name.

"We miss you, Haley."

He turned and walked back to his car, hands in his pockets and head down. He drove to Jessica's to pick up Jack. Then went home and made pork chops and macaroni and cheese. Jack, of course, skipped the pork chop. He swore the kid was going to turn into mac and cheese if he ate much more. He got him showered and they laid in his bed while reading their latest book. They read two chapters before Jack conked out. Aaron marked their place and sat the book on the nightstand. He kissed his son's forehead and pulled the covers over him before quietly leaving the room.

He went to the kitchen and made himself some hot tea. While he waited on the water to boil, he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hi you," Beth answered after checking her caller ID.

"Hi yourself. I hope it's not too late for me to call."

"Never. I wasn't asleep anyway."

"Good. I need to hear your voice right now."

"Is everything okay?" she asked. He could hear the worry in her voice.

"Yeah. Everything is fine. Just a few ghosts of the past trying to creep up on me again. Hearing your voice makes them go away."

"I'm sorry, honey. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but I probably should. It does seem to help."

"Tell me what's going on."

"I told Alex Blake about Foyet." He paused for a brief moment, taking a sip of his tea. "She needed to know why I get so overprotective of the team sometimes. It wasn't fair to keep her in the dark. But that was hard."

"I know it was. I know reliving that must have been awful. I'm sorry. I wish I was there with you right now."

"I wish you were, too. I don't know how I got lucky enough to have you in my life. But I'm very glad you are."

"I'm the lucky one, Aaron. I wish you could see how special you are to me. You and Jack. You make me smile."

"You made me smile when I thought I never would again. At least not with a woman. I don't think I ever said thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for anything, ever. I love you, Aaron. And I love Jack. And Haley is part of the package. I would never try to take that from either of you. She's a part of you both."

"Again, how did I get so lucky?"  
"You simply turned around when I called out to you."

"I'm so glad I did. I miss you, Beth."

"I miss you too. Hopefully I'll be able to get down there soon. I need some hugs from my boys."

Aaron chuckled. "We could use some of those as well."

Hearing her giggle was music to his ears.

"I should let you get some sleep."

"You get some rest, too. I know you haven't been sleeping. I can hear it in your voice."

"Yeah. I should sleep well now. Talking to you always helps that."

"I'm glad. I love you, Aaron."

"I love you, too."

They hung up and he felt much better. He finished his tea and went to bed, longing for the day when he could see her again. And he felt safe and comfortable in the fact that he was keeping his promise to Haley. He was learning to love again and showing Jack in the process.

With the comfort of those thoughts he was able to sleep.

* * *

_08/04/2013_


	217. Day 217: And Future

**A/N: Welcome another new friend to the story. Welcome Fee-Hotch!**

**Going to step outside the box a bit on this one. Not sure how it's going to work. Let me know what you think...**

**A brief continuation of Day 216.**

* * *

**365: Day 217**

**Characters: Jack Hotchner**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**And Future**

Jack felt his father kiss his forehead before getting up and leaving the room, leaving the door cracked a few inches as he did every night. He rolled over to go back to sleep when he heard his father talking. It sounded like he was on the phone. He knew he shouldn't listen, but his dad sounded sad and he wanted to know why. So he got out of bed and sat on the floor near his open door so he could hear better.

From this distance his voice was muffled, but he heard something about ghosts. Jack knew that meant bad memories. He and his dad had talked about ghosts after he'd had a bad dream one night. From their talk, he knew ghosts weren't real, but that bad memories sometimes felt like ghosts.

Then he heard that name. The name he would never ever forget, and at first all he wanted to do was hide under his bed. But there was something different about it this time. His dad didn't sound angry when he said the name. He sounded... tired maybe? He wasn't sure how to describe it. But for some reason, he wasn't afraid of it this time.

He kept listening and noticed when his dad's voice shifted from tired to happy. He could tell by the sound of his voice that he was smiling. And then he figured it out. His dad was talking to Beth. That made him smile. He liked Beth. She was nice and fun. She smiled a lot. And she made his dad smile a lot. And his dad had told him it was okay to talk about his mom with Beth. That Beth wanted to know about her. Talking about his mom helped him remember her. He liked remembering her.

He put his hand over his mouth to cover his giggling when he heard his dad say he loved her. Grown ups were so funny about saying I love you to each other. His dad said it to him all the time, but when he said it to Beth his cheeks would turn pink and he would smile and show his dimples. Jack called it his dad's silly smile. Beth called it his shy smile. She liked his shy smile. It always made her giggle, which would make him giggle.

He heard his dad hang up the phone and he scrambled back into bed, not wanting to get caught. He curled up with his back to the door. He heard the door creak open and knew his dad was standing in the doorway looking in on him. He did that every night he was home. He stayed for a few seconds before pulling the door mostly closed again.

Jack heard his dad's door close and relaxed, smiling. He dozed back to sleep with one thought in mind.

Dad was okay.

* * *

_08/05/2013_


	218. Day 218: Home Cooking

**A/N: Thanks for all the feedback everyone! You guys are awesome!**

**QueenGwen - Welcome to the party! And thanks for the idea! This chapter will be very short, but will likely have a followup. Maybe two.**

* * *

**365: Day 218**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Home Cooking**

The team boarded the jet that would take them to Chicago and their newest case. They conversed as usual surrounded by case files and their tablets, getting as much info as they could before landing. When they separated, Morgan moved to the back of the jet and pulled out his cell phone.

"Hi, Momma. Just wanted to let you know we'll be in Chicago for a few days... Yeah, we're helping on the case... I don't know if Gordinski will be part of this investigation or not. We made a bit of amends after the last time I was there... Yeah, I know. It's mostly water under the bridge, but there's still a lot of water to wade through. I'll always be leery of that guy..."

The pilot announced they were getting ready to land and everyone began putting away their things and buckling their seat belts.

"We're getting ready to land, so I've got to go. I'll be in touch soon. Promise... Yeah," he giggled, "I'll be sure to pass that message along... I love you too, Mom. And yes, I'll be careful."

He put away his phone and sat back down, buckling his seat belt.

"I was told to pass on a message to everyone," he said, getting everyone's attention. "As soon as we're done with this case, my mom says dinner is on her. She wants us all to come to the house. She says we're all in need of a home cooked meal."

"Sounds wonderful," JJ said. "Your family is so sweet."

"Don't let my sisters fool you, Jareau," he pointed a finger at her. "They're mean!"

"They're protective, that's for sure," Reid said, remembering his first encounter with Sarah Morgan and her protective big sister streak. He was still a little afraid of her.

"I'd be protective of you too if you were my little brother," Blake added, patting Morgan's cheek. Morgan got a good laugh out of that.

"That's very kind of her, Derek," Hotch said. "We'll be there."

"Besides," Rossi added, "Could you imagine anyone on this jet passing up some home cooking?"

"Not a chance."

They all chuckled as their jet descended to the landing strip.

They were all motivated to solve this case as quickly as possible.

There was home cooking waiting for them at the end. And they couldn't wait.

* * *

_08/06/2013_


	219. Day 219: Longing

**A/N: We've got another new friend! Welcome losingxfaith! And can I just say... you all are freakin' AMAZING! I can't believe this story is over 3600 reviews! You have completely floored me with the incredible response. I'm so very grateful to all of you for the support!**

**This is another shortie, and a continuation of Day 218. There will be one more follow up tomorrow night.**

* * *

**365: Day 219**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Longing**

The team were gathered in their makeshift conference room going over the information they'd gathered on their latest target. They were surrounded by fast food containers, soft drinks, coffee cups, and candy bar wrappers.

"This sucks," JJ said, dropping her plastic spork on a napkin.

"Yeah, we keep going around in circles," Reid said. "This unsub is a tricky one. He takes countermeasures and knows how to cover his tracks."

JJ shook her head, chuckling. "That is so not what I was talking about."

Reid looked at her, confusion expressing itself across his face.

"She means the food, Reid," Rossi helped him out. "This stuff is going to kill us long before any unsub."

"I'm ready for Momma Morgan's cooking now," Blake said, staring at their mostly empty containers, longing for pot roast and mashed potatoes instead of... whatever that was.

"Me too," Hotch agreed, closing his container and pushing it aside.

"Momma's looking forward to it, too," Morgan nodded. "She's been wanting to do this for a while."

"Well, let's find this guy and end this so we can all be happy," Rossi tapped the case files. "It's impolite to keep our hostess waiting."

"Amen to that."

They bid farewell to their takeout containers and buried their heads in their case files, with visions of Fran Morgan's cooking dancing in their heads.

The ultimate prize waiting at the finish line.

* * *

_08/07/2013_


	220. Day 220: Dinner With The Morgan's

**A/N: We have ANOTHER new friend! Welcome Jayjayrod!**

* * *

**365: Day 220**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Dinner With The Morgan's**

Derek Morgan called his mother while on the way back to the station after the team made the arrest. He knew they'd be a few more hours with paperwork. That would give Fran Morgan plenty of time to prepare for her guests.

Captain Stan Gordinski escorted the new prisoner to his holding cell and returned to find Morgan waiting for him at the end of the hall. He extended his hand and the Captain accepted it, congratulating each other on a job well done. While the two men had a terrible beginning that lasted decades, they'd managed to mend a few fences and rebuild a few burned bridges. They now had a mutual understanding of each other. And while it took a while, they were beginning to form a mutual respect for each other.

"We're all having dinner at my mom's house. You're welcome to come."

Gordinski smiled but shook his head. "I appreciate that, but I wouldn't want to intrude. Enjoy your family time. I know you don't get much of it."

"Very true."

"See you next time, Derek. Take care of yourself."

"You, too."

Gordinski went back to his office and Derek went back to his team. They were packing up files, and he could have sworn he saw more than one of them salivating. He just shook his head.

"Okay, okay, come on. Momma Morgan is waiting."

They packed up quickly and headed for the SUV's. And... did Spencer Reid just skip to the car? Derek laughed out loud. His poor mom had no idea what she'd gotten herself into inviting all six of them for dinner. Penelope was going to be mad she was missing this. Morgan got behind the wheel of the lead SUV, Hotch at the wheel behind him, and they headed for his mother's Chicago home.

When they arrived, the front door was open and his sister Desirhea was sitting on the front porch.

"'Bout time! You forget how to get here or something?" she teased.

"Yeah yeah, keep talking Desi," he teased back. When he got to the top of the stairs he picked his little sister up into a big hug.

"You're wearing that cologne again!" She referred to his "stanky ass cologne" that she hated. She tried to get away.

"Just for you!" He tried to rub some off on her, making her squirm.

"Ew ew ew!" She pushed away from him. "Get away! Ew!"

The team watched the two siblings and laughed as big brother and little sister tormented each other. The beauty of siblings.

"Derek! Quit tormenting your sister and get in here!" Fran Morgan's voice called out. Derek put his sister down and went inside, followed by his team.

"Oh my God, it smells so good in here," JJ said to Reid as they entered the home.

"I'm going to hug that woman," Blake said, trying not to drool at the incredible smell.

They followed Morgan into the kitchen/dining room where his mother pulled him into a strong hug, followed by a check to ensure he was still in one piece.

"Momma, it's all good. No trouble. Everyone's in one piece."

"Good."

After getting over his brief embarrassment, he introduced her to the team.

"I remember you, Dr. Reid."

"Likewise. Thank you for having us."

"My pleasure. Where's Penelope?" she asked.

"She's still at Quantico, unfortunately," Derek said. "She doesn't travel with us very often."

"Pump your brakes, sweet cakes!"

"Penelope! You made it!"

"You better believe it, Momma Morgan. I wasn't about to miss this!"

The two ladies hugged as if they were old friends. "It's so good to see you again."

"You, too. Please tell me there will be your magnificent peach cobbler at some point tonight."

"Absolutely."

"Oh, I love you!"

Fran Morgan laughed. It had been a long time since she'd had this much joy and laughter in her home. Sarah Morgan came in a few minutes later with a container of her signature mashed potatoes that would go perfectly with her mother's pot roast. There was also corn, fried okra, and roasted potatoes for Desi, who didn't care for mashed potatoes. And corn bread. Derek's favorite.

"Anything we can do to help?" Rossi asked on behalf of the group.

"Nope. Everything's ready. Let's eat!"

They filled their plates from the kitchen and sat around the dining room table, with its two leaves inserted to accommodate the large group. After one bite, Alex Blake nearly melted in her chair.

"Ooohhhh... can I move in?"

"Now you understand why I love coming home," Derek chuckled. He lifted his glass and toasted his mother.

"This is outstanding," Rossi said.

"Thank you very much for this," Hotch added.

"I've got to get your recipe for these roasted potatoes," JJ said. "My son would devour these."

"I'll email it to Derek for you."

"Thanks!"

"Do you mind if I have seconds?" Reid asked politely. They looked to see his completely empty plate. While they'd been talking, he'd inhaled the meal.

"Eat as much as you want, Spencer. You need to put some meat on those bones."

He blushed and went back for more.

The team and the Morgan family talked and laughed through dinner and dessert, with both sides telling Morgan stories, much to Derek's embarrassment. His mother, of course, had all the best stories from his childhood. Reid had the best story from their work - the prank war Derek started that Reid finished.

When Fran got up to clear the table, Rossi stopped her. "You did all this. The least we can do is help clean up."

"Ah, my hero," she put her hand to her heart. Rossi enlisted Hotch's help. They washed and dried the dishes while JJ and Alex packed up the leftovers. Much too soon, it was time for the team to leave.

While Morgan was saying goodbye to his sisters, Fran pulled Hotch aside.

"I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" he looked confused.

"For protecting my son. He always speaks very highly of you. He respects you a great deal."

"You raised an incredible man. Your son is one of the best men I know. Probably the bravest, too. I'll always protect him."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you. Without you, he wouldn't be here."

She smiled and they rejoined the group. She hugged her son tightly, not wanting to let him go, but knowing he was safe with this group: his pseudo-family. She insisted they take the remaining peach cobbler for the ride home. Penelope shed a tear at having to say goodbye.

"The next time you're all here, I expect to see you," she pointed her finger at all of them.

"Yes, ma'am," Hotch agreed.

They all said their thank you's and goodbyes, and much too soon the BAU was heading home.

* * *

_08/08/2013_


	221. Day 221: A Contented Flight

**A/N: Hey peeps! Glad everyone seemed to enjoy hanging out at Casa A La Morgan. That was a fun chapter to write. Now let's see how our merry band of Profilers are enjoying their flight home.**

* * *

**365: Day 221**

**Characters: Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**A Contented Flight**

The Agents of the BAU and their Technical Analyst were cruising at 35,000 feet, trying to keep their eyes open as their Gulf Stream winged them toward home. That was a weird feeling for Morgan, as it was every time he left his mother's home. The home he grew up in. The home that would always be there when or if he needed it.

Earlier tonight it had played second home to the people he trusted most in the world, his BAU family. He looked around at all the happy, content smiles on their faces.

"You're mother is the best. I can't believe she made peach cobbler just on his whim that I might be coming. There are not very many mom's who would go to such lengths to make her son's friend happy. Especially when said son is 40 years old."

"What can I say?" he shrugged. "Mama loves her boy."

"That she does, honey," Garcia gave him a playful push. "Mama's boy."

"And damn proud of it."

"As well you should be," Hotch walked by with his mug of hot tea from the kitchenette. "Your mother is an exceptional woman. I'm glad to have finally met her."

"I saw the two of you in conversation. Looked pretty deep," Morgan said. "Do I get to know what that was about?"

Instead of revealing the true topic, Hotch turned to his teammate and smiled. "She's very proud of you, Derek. And she's not the only one." With that, he excused himself and returned to his seat.

"He's right, you know," Garcia informed him, patting his cheek. He was slightly embarrassed by the attention, but gave her a wink and a smile. "Now," she continued, "I'm going to sit down before I fall down. That much amazing food deserves a good nap!"

"I noticed," Morgan chuckled, looking around the cabin. Hotch and Rossi were in conversation, but Rossi looked ready to nod off at any moment. Blake was curled in her chair hugging a blanket with a smile on her face. Reid and JJ were leaning against each other, oblivious to the outside world as they welcomed their food-enduced comas. He was surprised Reid was asleep instead of bouncing off the walls considering the amount of peach cobbler he ate. That stuff was sweet! And he imagined JJ was dreaming of roasted potatoes. He'd have to remember to check his email in the morning to see if his mom had sent the recipe.

"Come, my love. I need a pillow."

"Yes, ma'am."

Through the remainder of the flight there were no words. All were in their respective happy places. And dreaming of peach cobbler for breakfast.

* * *

_08/09/2013_


	222. Day 222: Sweet Dreams

**A/N: More new friends to welcome tonight! Justonly meee, Giderasia1, Fasle, Nexis44, and Mersam Potter. Thank you all for the favorites and follows. I hope you enjoy your stay!**

**A short, late night chapter.**

* * *

**365: Day 222**

**Characters: JJ, Will**

**Rating: K**

* * *

**Sweet Dreams**

JJ entered her home late Saturday night. Instead of taking her bag to her room, changing out its contents with fresh ones and taking the dirty clothes to the washing machine, she simply dropped her bag by the door. Despite her nap on the jet, she was still very tired.

Will came down the hallway, looking like he just woke up. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, a reminder that he was overdue for a haircut. He walked over to his wife and wrapped her up.

"Welcome home."

"Mmmm..." she snuggled into the side of his neck. "Good to be here. I missed you guys."

"We missed you, too." He noticed the plastic grocery bag with a container in it sitting on top of her go-bag. "What's in the bag?"

"Fran Morgan's peach cobbler. Oh my God, Will. It was so delicious. She let me bring some home. She sent some home with all of us, actually. And she's sending me the recipe for her potatoes. Some of the best I've ever had," she said stifling a yawn. Will laid a kiss on her forehead.

"Why do you go get changed and lie down. I'll put this stuff away."

"I won't say no to that," she said, kissing his lips and stumbling to their bedroom.

Will took the peach cobbler to the refrigerator and emptied her go bag into the dirty clothes hampers, remembering to separate darks and lights. He checked the locks on the door, turned off the living room lights, and joined his wife. In the seven minutes it had taken to do those few tasks, JJ was sound asleep. Will smiled at his wife. He pushed her hair back out of her face and kissed her forehead. Then he pulled the covers up over her and climbed back in beside her. She instinctively rolled toward him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Sweet dreams, love," he whispered.

And he was out right beside her.

* * *

_08/10/2013_


	223. Day 223: Baring the Soul

**A/N: You all amaze me more and more as this journey goes on! 3700+ reviews?! I don't have the words to describe how you all make me feel. I'm truly humbled. And immensely grateful. Your response is magnificent! Thank you all very much!**

**Once again, we have a few new friends! Talonat and Kitten0409 - welcome to the family!**

* * *

**365: Day 223**

**Characters: David Rossi, Father Jimmy Davidson**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Baring The Soul**

As was customary on Sunday mornings when David Rossi was in town, he attended Mass where his friend, Father Jimmy Davidson, was the priest. He would cross himself with Holy Water upon entering. Kneel, stand, and sit during the celebration. Take Communion. Occasionally he would light a candle on his way out to honor the victims and the families of the heinous criminals he was charged to hunt down and bring to justice.

It was not customary, however, for him to return to the Cathedral for Sunday evening services as well.

Of course, Father Jimmy noticed his friend sitting in the back row for the second time that day.

He also noticed that at the end of Mass, when everyone was leaving the sanctuary, joining with friends, David stayed in his seat.

As he did after every Mass, Father Jimmy stayed at the back of the church, shaking hands and greeting his parishioners. Once the crowd thinned out, he went into his office and took off his robes. When he returned, he took a seat in the pew in front of David, turning his body sideways so he could face him.

"That must have been some case to bring you in here twice in one day. Are you alright, David?"

Dave sighed deeply. "I don't spend nearly enough time here."

"I think God understands that the work you do is important. You've made it your life's work to help people. It's an admirable thing."

"It doesn't feel very admirable sometimes."

"You've seen things most of us can only imagine."

"There is an evil out there, Jimmy. An evil that is stripping away everything good, leaving empty shells in its wake."

Jimmy put his hand over David's. "That's why we have people like you and your team. To put an end to such evils. To combat them and fill those empty shells with hope."

"It's getting harder and harder to believe in hope. Sometimes it feels like the evil is winning. It gets harder and harder to fight."

He looked from David to the votive stand of candles, back to David. "The candle you lit this morning still shines. As long as the light shines, there is always hope."

Dave looked across the church at the votive candle stand where he'd lit his candle this morning. That candle was to honor two teenage girls who had lost their lives in Chicago. And for two others who were rescued by his team. As long as they found victims alive, he figured there was at least a sliver of hope to cling to. Though he would admit, those times were too far between for him to rely on.

It was several minutes before Dave stood, shaking hands with the priest. "Thank you, Jimmy."

Father Jimmy stood as well. "You know you can always call me when things get to be too much to handle. Day or night, David. I'm always here for you. In any way I can be."

"I know," he smiled. "I appreciate that. These cases get any crazier and I may be calling you a lot more often."

"You're going to give me nightmares."

David laughed. "Welcome to my world."

Father Jimmy clapped him on the shoulder as they walked together to the exit. "We'll continue to take on the evils of men together. Maybe one day we'll make a difference."

"Maybe so. That would be nice."

"Take care of yourself, David."

"You, too. I'll see you next weekend, hopefully."

"I look forward to it."

As David left, Jimmy reentered the sanctuary and went to the votive candle stand. He lit his own candle, crossed himself and said a prayer for David and his team. He prayed for strength, guidance, courage, and bravery.

Most of all, he prayed for hope.

* * *

_08/11/2013_

_*Some of you may remember Father Jimmy Davidson from episode 4x17, "Demonology"._


	224. Day 224: The Monster Mash

**A/N: And another warm welcome to a new reader. Welcome SSADaniReid!**

**Let's have a little fun tonight, shall we?**

* * *

**365: Day 224**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Monster Mash**

The team all sat around their round table in the conference room surrounded by fast food and case reports. A "working lunch" as they liked to call it. They reviewed cases and did consults all together during lunch, breaking up the monotony of the paperwork.

Of course, staying focused on the job at hand would become difficult and conversations would drift around all manner of topics as far away from work as possible.

Today's topic: Monster movies, courtesy of Penelope Garcia.

"So what are you favorite monster movies or genres?" She threw the general question out there at nobody in particular.

"It doesn't get much better than good ol' Bela Lugosi for me," Rossi replied between french fries. "Still the greatest Dracula of all time."

"Going old school right from the start," Derek chided. "That was fast."

"I was built for speed," Rossi retorted. "Everybody knows that."

There were groans heard around the table.

"What about you, Boss-man?" Garcia asked Hotch.

"I never got into monster movies. I see enough monsters right here with our job."

"Really, Hotch?" Reid asked. "Not even the Wolfman?"

"Sorry. Just not my thing. Unless 'Monsters, Inc'. counts."

Chuckles emanated from everyone but Reid, who seemed genuinely surprised.

"Wow. I thought everybody liked the Wolfman. I'm more of a Dr. Frankenstein fan, myself."

"Not surprised at all," JJ agreed.

"What about you, Jayje?"

"Oh, I'm totally a vampire girl."

"That's right... The Cullen's," Reid remembered JJ once explaining Pop Culture references, including Twilight. But she shook her head.

"Oh no. Those are NOT vampires. No sparkling! Now, Keifer Sutherland in "The Lost Boys"... _that's_ a vampire."

"Oh my God, yes," Blake agreed. "And Jason Patrick after he changes and he's all dark and mysterious and... Mmmmm!"

"Do you two need a moment alone with your hot sexy vampire men?" Morgan said, drawing laughter even from their stoic Unit Chief.

"If you could arrange that, that would be lovely." The two ladies clinked their styrofoam cups together, giggling.

"So come on, Penelope Garcia. Fess up."

"I like them all. They're all so crazy and so fun. Especially the old monster classics. I just love 'em. Even though they give me nightmares."

"That's what you keep me around for, Mama."

"Damn straight. Don't know where I'd be without you. My hero."

* * *

_08/12/2013_


	225. Day 225: The Soothing of Music

**A/N: My goodness! All these new story followers are giving me the warm fuzzies! One more to add tonight. Welcome to Litalgurl! And thanks again to everyone who reviewed. I love hearing all your thoughts. Thanks for taking the time!**

**This chapter is super short, but it seemed to fit Agent Morgan. I hope you like!**

* * *

**365: Day 225**

**Characters: Derek Morgan**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**The Soothing of Music**

On the jet to and from cases, he always had he iPod and headphones in place. Some light jazz to keep himself calm and in the moment.

When working out, the thumping rhythm of rap, hip-hop, and even a little hard rock kept his blood pumping.

When he was renovating a new property, he kept the grooves of Motown flowing: the music that built a generation.

The club scene required something loud and dance-worthy. Maybe some electronica. He had to move for the ladies, after all.

Grunge and alternative.

Blues.

Pop.

R&B.

80's.

For any situation. In any circumstance. The music fed the soul. It regenerated the soul.

For Derek Morgan, the music soothed the soul.

* * *

_08/13/2013_


	226. Day 226: Kickass Women

**A/N: I'm glad you all liked that little glimpse into Morgan's musical world. It's a side of him I've wanted to explore. You can tell every time he cranks up the iPod that there's something special in those headphones. Like one note and he's instantly at peace.**

**Music is a HUGE part of my life. Another passion... kickass women! What better way to explore kickass women than with kickass women! Enjoy!**

* * *

**365: Day 226**

**Characters: Jennifer Jareau, Alex Blake, Penelope Garcia**

**Rating: T**

* * *

**Kickass Women**

"Okay, ladies," Garcia began, pointing her fork across the small table at Agents Blake and Jareau, "we all know a thing or two about kickass women. After all, we ARE kickass women. So I ask, present company and coworkers excluded, who is the most kickass of kickass women?"

"Real or fictional?" asked JJ.

"Fictional would be more fun," Blake said.

"Fictional it is," Garcia declared. "So, how 'bout it?"

"Sydney Bristow is pretty high on my list," Blake said. "Super agent. Super spy. Master of being undercover. Tough as nails. The woman could take on anyone and anything. She probably knew 47 ways to kill you with a spork and make it look like an accident."

"Agreed," JJ said, taking a sip of her soft drink. "I'm going to go the opposite direction and say Julia Sugarbaker."

"From 'Designing Women'?" Garcia asked.

"Mmm-hmm."

"I don't think I've ever seen that show," Blake said, trying to remember.

"It was great! It was about these four women who start an interior design company. Julia is the leader and the one you absolutely do NOT mess with. And the way she always sticks up for her younger sister even when she doesn't deserve it half the time... everyone would want a big sister like that. That woman didn't take shit from anybody."

"Sounds like my kind of woman."

"Trust me. Just Youtube "Julia Sugarbaker the night the lights went out in Georgia". You'll understand."

"Oh, I saw that ep!" Garcia got excited. "She's right on that one. Incredible."

"So what about you, Pen?"

"My choice would have to be the incomparable Claire Huxtable."

"Claire Huxtable is the Queen of Everything," Blake said, waiving her celery stick at Garcia.

"Absolutamundo!" Garcia said with gusto. "I mean, could you imagine if she were your mom? It would be awesomely fantastic and awe-inspiring and terrifying all at once!"

"So true," JJ said. "I love how she would just go off on something and keep ranting as she went up the stairs. She wouldn't be talking to anyone anymore, just going off! And then she'd go off in Spanish! So hysterical."

"And let's look at her for a minute," Garcia said after taking a bite of her sandwich. "Highly successful lawyer, speaks multiple languages, mother of five..."

"Might as well say mother of six if you count Cliff," JJ added, giggling.

"So very true," Blake added.

"Agreed. And she's STILL beautiful!"

"Claire is pretty amazing."

"I've got to get one more person in on this convo," JJ said as she pulled out her cell. She checked in with Skype and noticed Emily was online. She sent a message...

_Girl chat time. Greatest kickass women._

_Already named: Sydney Bristow, Julia Sugarbaker, Claire Huxtable._

_Your pick?_

When her phone pinged with Emily's response, JJ immediately laughed out loud and held her phone up for the others to see the message.

_Wonder Woman. Duh!_

They laughed as well.

"So perfectly Emily," Garcia said. "That's our girl!"

* * *

_08/14/2013_


	227. Day 227: Be Prepared

**A/N: Thanks again, you awesomely wonderful people!**

* * *

**365: Day 227**

**Characters: Team**

**Rating: K+**

* * *

**Be Prepared**

The team gathered in the conference room at the end of the day. Hotch had requested the meeting before they all went home. He entered a few minutes after everyone else. They thought it a good sign that he did not enter with case files. But that peaked their curiosity about this impromptu meeting.

"Thanks for sticking around for a few minutes. I wanted to give you all a heads up on something."

"What's going on, Hotch?" Morgan asked.

"Requalifications begin next week. Everyone has to recertify in all areas. Firearms, tactical, PT, Hogan's Alley." He looked around the table to gauge reactions.

Reid cringed a bit at the firearms requalification, but he'd gotten much stronger in the last few years.

"The last time I ran a mile, Reagan was President," Rossi said of the PT requalification, drawing snickers from the others. "This is gonna suck."

"I haven't been through Hogan's Alley since my probationary days," Blake said.

"Me either," JJ added.

"Um..." Garcia spoke up. "What about me, sir?"

"There are some new IT and Security training courses you'll have to take. And as much as you may deem it necessary, no rewriting the programs."

"Aw man," she groaned, drawing more chuckles.

"Morgan, there are some new bomb squad training materials you should look at. It's not required, but considering your background, it couldn't hurt."

"I'm all over that." He seemed to be the only one unphased at the thought of having to requalify.

"I didn't want this to be sprung on any of you. I do not know the order of events or the scheduled days. Just be ready. And if any of you have any questions or need any help preparing, don't hesitate to call me. Jessica is keeping Jack this weekend, so I'm available anytime."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Okay, that's it. See everyone in the morning."

As they filed out, Hotch could hear them making training plans with each other. He smiled to himself. A true team. He lingered, waiting for Dave.

"So," he said to his one-time mentor, "what time are we running tomorrow morning?"

"Shut up."

Hotch chuckled and the two friends headed out.

* * *

_08/15/2013_


End file.
